Friends
by Chibi Fenrir
Summary: She'll always need her...
1. Introspect

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter One

Introspect

Sunlight…

In a moment of silent reprieve, she wondered how come she never stopped to admire the sight sooner and ended up blaming it on the can of beer in her hand. Naturally, she was never one to waste any time when it came to getting a little buzzed to start off the day but…

How could she miss something that looked so amazing?

Kitsune closed the refrigerator and, for a moment, bathed in the gentle rays of light that seeped through the window blinds. They landed on nothing more deserving than the sketch done by the young man that managed the female dormitory she lived in.

Plain as the day outside, his sketchbook was opened for all to see and the sunlight hugged the drawing of her like it was about to leave. Setting aside her beer, the nosy woman quickly scanned her surroundings before venturing closer to the one thing Keitaro never let any of them to see.

Intrigued by seeing herself rendered in thin lines and penciled shading, Kitsune smiled as she noticed how modest he was in displaying her figure, but her expression softened after she noted the peaceful look on her face.

"I'll have to tease him later for catching me on my good side…"

That said, her grin took on a mischievous tint as she decided any time was as good as the present. Even though she knew that it was all for the sake of a good laugh, it'd be a good lesson for him as well. If he left his most treasured possession in the kitchen and another one of the tenants found it, then he'd have a lot more than teasing to put up with.

Luckily for him, she was the only one around and, she figured that returning his sketchbook would at least prompt a favor or two in return. With reason on her side and a smile on her face, Kitsune left the kitchen with hopes of finding her landlord.

"Wow," She looked down at another sketch as she walked and found the back of the gentle Shinobu. The young girl was in the room she just left, undoubtedly making dinner with the happy smile the drawing didn't show. "This must have been the one he was drawing yesterday…" She muttered, slowly realizing that the errant line that ran through the oven had much to do with Naru slapping him upside the head.

She turned a page.

Motoko glared at her with her sword held at the ready, the grimace on her face practically dripping with malice. It was kind of scary she supposed, more so if he actually had to gall to draw it when she looked at him like that. At any rate, it was another reason to respect him.

She licked a finger before turning the page.

It was Mutsumi. The absent-minded watermelon lover laid in the bushes with a smile only she could possess. She was surely unconscious. Anyone who really knew her would realize as much but, because of the way he drew it, it wouldn't be that hard to fool someone into believing she was just asleep. It was not a mistake, she guessed, that he made light of her condition. Keitaro always approached things from a different angle, and she wouldn't put it past him to underscore the significance of her being able to smile even at a time like that.

"…love you."

Kitsune froze, thoughts that concerned the intention of his art forced into the back of her mind as she heard something she knew she wasn't supposed to hear. She turned away from the drawing and in the direction the sound came from. The mumble came from a room claimed by none of the tenants, a room that she never went in before, but she was sure she heard something come out of it.

"I love you."

Immediately, she felt a chill go down her spine and it rattled every bone it touched. Could it be a ghost? She wasn't exactly the most spiritual person around, but it wouldn't be the first time she encountered something unbelievable. With a deep breath and a shaky hand, she quietly edged closer and carefully slid the door just enough to the side so she could see within.

She breathed a sigh of relief, the breath she was holding let out the moment she saw her humble landlord, but her reprieve was short-lived as the truth of the matter dawned on her.

He was confessing to someone and she was the only person around to witness it.

Kitsune looked on with wide eyes, little attention paid to the fact that she left her beer in the kitchen as the notion of teasing him left with the assumption the room was haunted. She didn't open the door wide enough to see everything and she wasn't stupid enough to press her luck so his potential girlfriend remained hidden, but she could still clearly see his face. The gray-haired woman swallowed hard, her pulse starting to quicken as she caught sight of the longing on his face. She could practically feel her heart beating against her ribs as his expression withered.

She unconsciously clutched his sketchbook just that much tighter as she watched the quiet rejection, the way his hope melted away making him look like a kicked puppy.

"I… love you…" He repeated, his heart obviously lost to the effort as a tear escaped down his face.

She, too, could feel the moisture building in her eyes but a hasty rub with the heel of her palms kept her from crying. Still, she didn't fault him for his tears when faced with deafening silence and less than mutual feelings.

She couldn't help but wonder how…

It wasn't hard for her to come to the conclusion that he was hurt. It wasn't just one of the punches bestowed upon him by the girl she suspected was inside. It wasn't the kind of thing that he'd shrug off and go back to being good, old Keitaro. He was hurt, the look on his face making it evident that the wound inflicted on him wouldn't be mended with just a simple apology or two.

How could someone be so cruel to him?

"I…" He couldn't say it anymore. Her heart cried along with him as he bowed his head and wept.

Kitsune didn't care if it wasn't any of her business and privacy would just have to be damned. She couldn't let things continue like that and, enraged, she threw back the door as hard as she could. She was going to give whoever it was more than a piece of her mind as she made her way across the tatami mats all the while ignoring the strangled cry of surprised that escaped her caretaker's throat.

"Where is she?" His tenant whispered, her hands balled into fists as she looked around for sight of her best friend. Instead of Naru, she was only met with the red eyes of her landlord, but her confusion didn't last for long. It had to be Motoko. No one else would be able to get away so…

Her mind screeched to a stop, the scream of metal scrapping against metal seemingly filling her head as her train of thought derailed. Kitsune stared at the truth, the mirror in front of him calmly capturing her reflection the same way it caught his when he was talking to himself.

It was one of those stupid self-esteem exercises and, even then, she was only able to vaguely able to remember thanks in part to her making fun of the commercials that featured them. It was ridiculous to think she was ready to fight on his behalf, but the look on his face was proof that the self-help he was trying to administer failed horribly in every regard.

"Idiot," Kitsune said it and meant it, blinking away a tear as she insulted him. "I thought someone was…" She paused, looking away from the mirror and at him. "I thought someone was hurting you."

There was neither a flash of red crossing his features nor a shade of pink touching his cheeks. He was caught, unable to deny what had already happened. "I'm sorry…" He started, unable to look her in the eyes as he apologized for alarming her. "I thought everyone was gone."

What kind of excuse was that? What did everyone being gone have to do with that? She didn't understand. Why would he expect her of all people to be somewhere else?

It was just like any other weekday. Everyone in the dorms had their weekly obligations ranging from going to school to working at the teahouse, but, even though she was supposed to be Haruka's replacement, it wasn't like she actually bothered to do much aside from lounge around. He knew more than anyone else that she gave up on serving tea in his aunt's place, so the assumption that she wouldn't be around confused her enough to ask until he gave her the answer to the questions she never voiced.

"I thought…" He cleared his throat before lowering his eyes to the tatami. "I thought Su said everyone was going."

She forgot.

It was Saturday and, more importantly, she completely forgot that Seta was coming back even though all the girls made plans to go somewhere with him last night. The crazy thing was that she was planning to go as well but, ironically, the extra beer or two she had to celebrate gave her the hangover that kept her at home.

"Keitaro, don't tell me you're…"

"No!! I mean…" Keitaro looked around for an exit, a reason he could leave before she started to laugh at how pitiful he was. "No, I'm not lonely or anything." He found his excuse. His wandering eyes found the bucket of cleaning products he brought into the room with him. "I'm glad he came back. All the girls like him a lot and they're having fun. It's really peaceful around here when-"

He was promptly interrupted by the hand that took hold of his wrist.

"Mitsune…"

She wasn't amused. The promise of an empty joke just so they could share a hollow laugh and pretend it never happened was not one she was ready or willing to make. She wasn't going to walk away and she wasn't going to pretend that nothing happened. Her expression, the look in her eyes reflected her sentiment to the point he believed he offended her but her face brightened the moment she tightened her hand around his own.

"You…" He tensed because of the contact so she let go, but the question she thought to pose was already one she knew was the truth. "You're lonely because everyone left to be with Seta?"

Insight was a valuable thing. It was a luxury that often granted her the ability to crack a joke but, most of the time, it allowed her to see things that others only tended to notice in retrospect. Sometimes it alone was the reason why finding out what was wrong came just as naturally as righting it.

Keitaro opened his mouth to speak, but could only resign himself to confirming her suspicions with a nod. He wasn't anyone special. He didn't hold any of their affections so he shouldn't have expected them of them to know how he felt. He tried to be rational about it, but it still hurt that…

"…Everyone forgot about you, huh?" Kitsune echoed his thoughts with remarkable clarity, but that wasn't the end of her surprises. She stretched her arms out towards him, spreading them wide for someone that needed her. "Come here." She whispered, her smile just as gentle as it was sincere so he couldn't help but step into her embrace.

She hugged him, all the encompassing warmth he drew from the intimacy making him forget about his plummeting self-esteem. He relaxed, easing himself against her as the arms around his frame pulled him even closer.

With his sadness swept away, he was left with a solitary thought, a single notion that he never entertained before. It was an intriguing one, something that made him open the eyes he closed to look at the girl that held him.

Was she always so gentle?

"Everyone likes you, Keitaro…" Kitsune chimed, her soothing admission flowing across his cheek and into his ear like a breeze. She pulled her head back just enough to look him in the eyes. "Don't go around doing things like that, okay? I'll always be around for you if you want to talk."

"I won't." He promised, his eyes damp as he wrapped his arms around her.

Long minutes passed as they stood in place. Neither made an attempt to move, the idea that they would eventually have to let go of each other one that wasn't entertained in the comfort they both indulged in.

He wanted to say thank you. He wanted to show her that he was beyond grateful, but it took everything he had just to keep his composure. Their moment together was over the second she withdrew her arms and took a small step back. Kitsune smiled at him, lacing her fingers behind her neck before tilting her head. "Now that we feel better… I want to ask you something."

The fact that he didn't get his chance to offer a word of thanks subtly slipped to the back of his mind as general curiosity came to the forefront. "What is it?"

"I know my dear Keikei loves to draw and I couldn't help but wonder why he didn't…" She paused, pretending to look up in thought before she finished. "Hmm, accentuate my lovely figure."

"Y-You saw that…?"

"Uh huh," She nodded as he blushed, the atmosphere lightened thanks to the change of subject. "I thought you were…" She couldn't help herself, "familiar with my body."

"Oh," He started as he turned to hide the burning red on his cheeks. "I wanted the focus to be on your smile."

"What?"

"I'm not any good for real, but I like how it came out." He buried his hands in his pocket as he bowed his head. "I can draw it again if you want me to."

"No," She said softly, the fact that he drew a side of her most never saw something that already touched her. "I… I like it the way it is."

They made eye contact, brown meeting brown as he smiled. He wasn't sad anymore, his day and his mood brightened by the woman that he least expected to cheer him up. "You're blushing." He pointed out with no small amount of amusement.

She was going to kiss him.

It wasn't a prediction or a premonition. It was just something that was going to happen, something that she knew she was going to do. The idea of him quietly catching glimpses of her just to draw something she'd never see meant so much more than he thought it did.

Kitsune tried to reel back her feelings before she did something she couldn't take back and was failing to do so until she donated a thought to someone who wanted to kiss him more than she did.

Naru was her friend.

"Thank you, Misune." Somehow, his smile became larger as he offered her something that warmed her heart more than the drawing. He bowed at the waist and her blush deepened. "Really… thanks."

Keitaro rose to his full height and, after a slight nod to the woman who made him feel much better than before, made his way towards the bucket of supplies he left near the door.

Until she grabbed him.

Her hand gripped his shoulder, fingers digging into his shirt as she sought to pull him back, but her conscience wouldn't allow it. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to let him know how she felt. She wanted him, way more than she ever did before, but she couldn't do it.

Naru was her best friend.

"Y-You're welcome…" She forced a smile as her hand slipped off his shoulder. "How a-about easing up on the rent next week?"

"I can do that." He decided before leaving, smiling as he noticed and picked up the sketchbook she left in her haste.

Kitsune watched him go and, alone, she released the breath she was holding before slumping to the ground. She did it. She resisted the temptation, but she knew she was still blushing. She felt like sprawling out on the floor, just laying there until the feeling passed, so she did.

She couldn't just walk out behind him like nothing happened. Leaving wouldn't do her any good. If she saw him before she was ready then there was no doubt she'd give in to her feelings, but she couldn't allow that to happen.

Keitaro was… important. Just knocking back some drinks and then having a fling with him was something out of her nightmares. It would definitely feel good, but that's not what she wanted. If they ever had something together, she'd want it to be serious and it was unlikely he would ever come to know about her feelings in the first place.

She sighed.

Naru…

How could someone so smart be so fickle? It was easy to see that she liked him. Everyone knew that much but, instead of being honest with herself, she was more likely to send him into orbit. Even crazier was that he always went crawling back to her with the kind of smiles that could warm any heart.

There was no doubt about whom his affections rested with, but how could he know everyone in the dorms was fond of him when no one said as much? How was he supposed to feel when he didn't know how they felt about him?

As she looked up at the ceiling, Kitsune wondered if it wasn't the first time he resigned himself to being alone even though they were around. She wondered if there were times when he stood in front of the mirror and said things to himself that he deserved to hear from others.

She wondered why she never thought to let him know how she felt.

The woman turned towards the mirror and saw herself. It was a reflection different from the one she saw on paper. She looked troubled, a far cry from the smiling tenant that her landlord drew.

"I love you…" She whispered, ready to share her secret with person in the mirror. "I love you, Keitaro."

0

The rest of the day was as lively as any other once everyone returned. Stories were exchanged, dinner was made, laughs were shared, and the day was never quite complete unless Keitaro had at least one near death experience on account of his clumsiness.

It was standard fare, something that became commonplace because of the lone male that lived with them. It was because of that, because everyone was so used to the status quo that no one thought to dignify him with little more than a wave when they arrived and nothing more than hopes of good dreams when they left the dinner table.

"It was fun." Naru replied, the dreamy expression on her face backing up what she said. "I had a really good time, but it would have been better if Su didn't bring that…" She lost her smile in the process of trying to think of a way to describe what happened and ended up not even wanting to talk about it. "Yeah, it was pretty fun."

Kitsune stacked the dishes before handing them to her landlord who collected them to deposit in the sink. She caught the look he gave her friend. He was hoping she said something more, expanded on what she already said since he asked, but Naru was content with the silence that came with the departure of the other tenants.

"Oh…" He said it softly, his reply subdued as he started washing the dishes. "That's nice."

"So," Kitsune pulled her sight away from his back and faced the girl who sat opposite her. "What are you going to do tomorrow?"

Out the corner of her eye, she could see Keitaro virtually falling over himself to hear the answer to her question. It was cute seeing him try so hard. It was part of the reason she thought to ask her in the first place.

"Studying…" Naru sighed. The idea of going somewhere with Seta was always appealing, but she couldn't afford to be short-sighted. Even if she was confident that she deserved some time away from the books, it didn't specifically mean that she could abandon her daily study session again. "Now that I think about it…" She turned towards her study partner. "Hey, Keitaro?"

He jumped at the mention of his name, his back going rigid as he stood as straight as he possibly could. "Y-Yes?"

"Hmm." She ignored how strange he acted because she already knew he was weird. "Do you feel like going over some biology with me?"

It was an invitation that didn't go unappreciated.

Kitsune couldn't help but smile as he nodded in earnest. His streak of bad luck finally hit a wall and he started scrubbing the dishes as fast as he could in order to take the girl up on her offer. "Hold up," She called to him from where she sat. "I'll finish the dishes so you two can start your date."

As expected, both of them reacted the same way they normally did when someone even came close to mentioning their feelings towards each other. Keitaro fumbled his words in an attempt at denial and Naru quickly stood up, nearly knocking over a chair just to declare that it was anything but a date. With that, her friend wasted no time going over to her crush and half dragging him out of the kitchen.

Kitsune rose from her seat just in time to catch the loopy smile on his face. While it didn't come close to the smile he gave her earlier, it still invoked feelings in her that made it feel like she floated to the sink to finish what he started. She was glad he was happy because he deserved to be and, if he was happy, she was happy, too.

"Now to get down to business…"

She took a quick look around the kitchen before reaching behind the faucet and pressing a button. The bottom of the sink opened to reveal a hidden compartment and all the dishes and silverware fell inside. With another press of the button, the bottom flipped back up and the clatter of dishes being washed met her ears.

Kitsune smirked as she walked away without even having to wet her hands. While she did have to spend quite a bit bribing Su, all the banana treats she bought were a small price to pay for the single greatest contribution to her laziness since alcohol.

A pang of guilt tried to register in her conscience, but she wouldn't allow it. She'd tell everyone about it some day but, at least for another week, nothing was wrong with leading everyone to believe that she did at least one chore every now and then.

She set a pot of water on the stove and turned up the heat before tossing in a few tea bags. While cooking was still beyond her for the most part, she was capable enough to make tea for the study buddies and she felt quite proud of herself as she reached into the cabinets to grab the cups.

"Hmm," Kitsune pondered as the water boiled, taking time out to recall the conversation she shared with Keitaro over lunch. "I wonder if he'll ask her tonight."

When she calmed down enough to face him, he was already on his way to offer her some of the sandwiches he made for lunch. Touched, she welcomed the manager into her room and enjoyed the food he made for her. Lunch was good, but his company was better. It was fascinating how many things she learned about him. It was nice, she decided, to know more about the people she cared about, but she couldn't shake the feeling that he should have been speaking to the girl he not so secretly loved.

That was why she cut into their conversation with a request that he ask Naru out. It didn't have to be anything big, just somewhere away from Hinata House would be good enough she figured.

Kitsune held back a sigh as she poured the steaming tea into the cups. It took no small amount of talking to even get him to think about it but, with a little charm and a lot of sense, she found that she convinced him easily enough. He didn't say when, but he did promise to ask his crush out when he got the chance.

"This is probably the best chance he'll get for a while…" She thought out loud as she turned off the heat and set off with the drinks in hand.

It was Saturday night and, if Naru got her fill of studying, she'd be free tomorrow. It was an opportunity he definitely couldn't miss and the real reason she thought to get them something to drink was so she could help.

"Kitsune?" Naru looked up from the book she was reading as her best friend walked into the room with a much needed cup of whatever she was holding. "What happened to knock—Wait, I thought you were washing dishes."

"Already finished." The smiling girl replied before handing her friend the tea. "Mind if I sit in for a bit? I'm not ready to call it a day just yet."

"Sure." Naru took a sip of the drink, her nose wrinkling as she swallowed. It was definitely too bitter but, then again, it wasn't like she paid for it. "I'm just waiting for him to catch up."

Almost on cue, Keitaro turned another page in the book he reviewed, the implied fact that he was slow one that he didn't bother to deny because it was true. Naru, someone who spent the greater part of her life with her head buried in textbooks, never thought of him as her intellectual equal. There were times when she quite frankly did make him feel stupid, but it was in light of helping both of them pass the test.

Alone, she could cover a broader range of material but it wouldn't mean anything if he wasn't with her. The reason she did the study sessions was so they could go to school together. Even though she would never admit it, the only reason she pressed him so hard was so he could be a part of her dream. If all it took was a couple hours out of her day then she honestly didn't mind.

"Taxonomy…" Keitaro slid his hand down his face, his shoulder slumping as he placed the study guide down on the table. "It's going to take me a long time to remember all of this."

"Ha, don't worry too much about it." Kitsune flashed him her patented smile before sliding the second cup across the table to him. "I have faith in you."

He blinked before revealing a smile of his own. "Thanks, but I don't want to take-"

"It's for you." She brought her hands up to her chest, the promise of melodrama made as she pretended to be hurt. "Unless Keikei doesn't want anything from a woman such as I…"

Keitaro shook his head. "I appreciate it, but I can't just drink in front of you when you made this for us." Before she could tell him she was fine, he was already getting to his feet. "Oh yeah Naru, I wanted to ask you to come-"

He stepped on his slacking pants leg on the way up, his bad luck returning with a vengeance as he tripped. Kitsune sprung up like she was sitting in fire, lashing out a hand with every intention of stopping what was bound to happen as she reached for his collar. She missed. She tried again, her fingertips brushing across his shirttail as she put every fiber of her being into keeping him from being hurt but…

It was too late.

The room became unnaturally still, pregnant with silence as he fell haplessly on top of Naru and aborted the moment the woman beneath him got her bearings. "You…" She muttered dangerously, the fist she reeled back something that made Kitsune's heart skip two beats.

"Wait…" Kitsune whispered as her friend trembled in anger. "Wait!"

"Pervert!!"

"Don't do-" She trailed off, the definite impact of fist on face halting any argument she could have raised on his behalf.

He was sent airborne, his body twisting and tumbling through the air like an old leaf caught in the wind until he came into contact with the door. Her mouth dropped open in disbelief as he crashed through the wood and landed in what remained of the door that led to the room of the girl he loved.

How…

How did she ever find something like that funny?

The tea spilled thanks to his heel catching one of the cups but, unlike the girl that tried to save her textbooks and notes from the mess, Kitsune didn't care about what was being stained on the table.

"Why…" Kitsune looked at him lying in what she could only imagine to be a garden of splinters at best. "Why did you hit him?"

"He was being a pervert!" Naru exclaimed loud enough to wake anyone that heard. "Can you help me get this stuff off the-"

"God." She interrupted, shifting her eyes away from the prone figure of their landlord and to the girl that was trying her best to save her notes. "I think you knocked him out."

"Good." Her friend grumbled. "Now can you please grab that notebook over-"

"Forget about the fucking books, Naru!" Kitsune spun around to face the younger girl, the arm she extended pointing towards where Keitaro laid unconscious. "He was going to ask you out until you tried to knock his teeth down his throat!"

"Don't you mean before he fell on me?" Naru narrowed her eyes at her best friend as she placed the last of her notes on the floor beside her. "What's wrong with you? You know him just as well as I do." She continued as she turned to look at her study partner. "When he wakes up, he'll just come back in and say he's sorry like he always-"

The predictable outcome of her punishment was something that died on her lips as they both realized that the man who rested in the pile of broken wood had seemingly vanished into thin air, but there was no magic about the simple truth.

He left.

Without a word or a sound, he got up and left.

Armed with his quiet departure and the chance encounter earlier in the day, Kitsune didn't need her insight to predict that her landlord wouldn't be coming back to Naru's room for a long time to come.

0

"Man…" Kitsune smiled a little, content with the warmth welling in her stomach. "That hits the spot." She popped the tab off another beer and raised it to her lips. In seconds, she guzzled it down and was ready for the next one until she realized that it wouldn't be a next one. "Ah…" She already drunk the two she brought with her. The thought of another one was appealing, but going all the way back to the kitchen to get one was not. "Should have just got the whole case. I'm the only one that drinks the stuff now that I think-"

"Who's there?"

"Keitaro?" The vixen opened her eyes before calling out and spotting the lone man in the darkness. He was sitting on the roof, his glasses catching the moonlight as he spied her over his shoulder.

"Kitsune…" He laid back down upon confirming the presence, and the starry sky above came back into view as he rested his head on the tiles. "Did you need me for something?"

"Nope, not this time anyway." She, too, looked up at the night sky as she neared him with empty cans hanging off her fingers. "I was just coming up here to clear my mind. I never expect to bump into anyone this late."

"Yeah…"

That was all he said, the fact that he came up to the roof for the same reason she did one that he didn't even need to state. Neither said anything more. He watched the clouds sail by from where he rested and she continued to stand as she looked at the moon. It was quiet, too quiet for her, so she had to do something.

"Are you…" Kitsune bit on her lip, the question she thought to ask one that she already knew was stupid. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Keitaro was caught off guard, obviously unprepared as a range of emotions flickered across his face until one finally won. He sat up again, his smile in place as he looked up at the girl beside him. "I'm…" He started before pushing his glasses back up to the bridge of his nose. "I'm alright."

He lied.

She watched him lower the shaky hand he used to reposition his glasses, but she was quick to turn away when she caught sight of a smile so hollow it dared to split her heart in half.

He was hurt.

She touched him. He blinked as the sound of the beer cans hitting the tiles reached his ears, but it was the feel of her hand, the caress of her fingertips trailing down the side of his face, that made his eyes get just as big as hers. She did it purely on reflex, not bothering to think about it as she kneeled to get closer to him. She knew it wasn't a mistake. In the depths of his eyes, the feelings he tried so hard to hide were easier to see than the stars above.

"I thought I told you not to go around being sad…" She managed a smile as the clouds moved just enough to allow the moon to cast its radiance on her much the same way the sun shined on his drawing. "Do you want to talk about-"

"Kitsune…" He was struck speechless as he covered the hand on his face with his own and took in its warmth. "I… Why…?"

Why?

She always knew why.

It was because she loved him.

It was because she loved him that she never wanted him to be sad, but there was only one surefire way she knew how to make him feel better, but she didn't want something as shallow as one night stand to cloud what little of a relationship they had with each other. It was because she loved him that only contact she thought to offer was just a touch to let him know that she was there for him.

Any more and it would be unfair to him and…

It would be unfair to Naru.

"I just want you to be happy." A simple question received a simple response. "I'm happy… when you're happy."

She surprised him, the same woman that he usually handed him nothing other than jokes was giving him unconditional affection rooted in nothing but empathy. He was awed by her all over again and, with just that much, the front he maintained around the others slipped away.

Kitsune withdrew her hand as she took a seat beside him, the insecurities she always held deep inside rising to the forefront as they both dropped their masks. It was like lunch except better and, as noted when her stomach growled, without food.

Laughing, Keitaro rose to his feet and offered her a hand. She already knew he was going to offer to make her some sandwiches and she knew she couldn't refuse after how good they tasted earlier.

"Kitsune?"

She looked up, the smile on his face one that reflected how he honestly felt. It wasn't hollow. It was not a smile he put on for her sake. It wasn't goofy. It wasn't the smile he had when he apologized to the girls for messing something up. The snack was his intention of thanking her for cheering him up, but that smile was all she needed.

"I'm… happy."

Continued…

Next chapter:

Daybreak

"You… You want to know more about me?"


	2. Daybreak

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Two

Daybreak

As Kitsune stood in front of her humble collection of the cheapest alcohol in the world, Keitaro did what he normally did when he didn't have anything else to do.

He sketched.

The woman in front of him raised another bottle, running her eyes over the label before putting it back down. It had no effect on the drawing. He already had the mental image and it remained intact as he translated the picture in his mind into the subtle movements of his pencil.

Mere lines became shapes that later became figures. The room around her was captured, no detail lost as he sketched as many as he wanted to throw in. With that, his art defined not a day that was menial at best but, instead, the significance of one that would never be experienced again.

His sketchbook was his canvas and his pencil became the brush that filled it with life. His sketchbook was like a studio, the flow and crisp lines that were abundant in his drawing something that could be found in a song. It was more than just art. It was his art and…

"Ah," Kitsune lovingly raised the bottle of whisky she pulled off the shelf. Memories of the first drink she ever had came from the very bottle she held above her head. "This takes me back."

She was his subject.

He looked up with the intention of telling her he was finished, but ended up staring at her instead. Kitsune was lost in thought, the soft smile on her face one she dedicated solely to her collection and the comfort it provided. It was a moment that wasn't important, but that was precisely why it was mattered. It was a glimpse, although only a small one, into Kitsune and that was what his art was all about.

"Hmm?" The tenant turned towards her company. "Finished already?" She asked with a hint of surprise before moving towards him with the bottle still in hand. "I thought you'd want me to strike a pose or…"

She saw herself.

She was smiling, happily picking through her collection as she stood in front of the shelves. Her eyes were filled with childish delight as she reached for something only adults should drink and, again, the contours of her figure were downplayed in favor of putting emphasis on her expression.

It was better than the one he drew before.

"Keitaro…" She plopped down beside him, literally pressing herself against him in an effort to see it better. "How did you learn to do something so amazing?"

"I…" He cleared his throat as he edged away from the contact, the blush on his cheeks something he hid behind his cough. "I don't really know. I practiced a lot and I read some stuff. I was thinking about taking some classes, but I really don't even know if I'm ready or not…"

"Forget that, you should probably be teaching some classes." Much to his relief, Kitsune stopped leaning into him and crawled back towards the table to grab the glass she left there. "So, what did you have on your mind?"

"Um, it's not anything important…" Keitaro rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to think of a way to say it without sounding stupid. "I was just wondering if we could… you know… just talk."

"Hmm?" Kitsune hummed as she poured some bourbon into her glass. "You don't come into a girl's room just to talk, Keikei…" She winked at him before downing the shot and pouring another.

"N-No!" His blush deepened. "Don't misunderstand me like that…"

"Well, I guess I do tease you a little too much, huh?" She grinned at how fast he nodded. "For real, what's the problem?"

"There's nothing wrong or anything like that. I just felt like you were the only person I could really talk to, you know." He paused, setting his sketchbook and his pencil aside as he waited for the right words to come to mind. "I don't know how to put it… I feel-"

"You feel like no one wants to listen to you unless you have something important to say?" She punctuated her observation with another shot and continued when he gave her another hasty nod. "I guess so… No one likes wasting time. Er, I'm not saying you're a waste of time though! I mean would you want to listen to someone talk about stuff you don't care about?"

"I like listening to people talk." He sighed, it was always hard for him to express himself the way he wanted to. "Well, it's more of me just wanting to know more about people, but I don't want to pry or anything."

"You…" She opened her eyes and looked at him. "You want to know more about me?"

He did.

Although he asked if he could draw her beforehand, the reason he was able to summon the courage to even walk into her room was because he wanted to chat with her. "Yeah," He was embarrassed by the way she phrased it. "I didn't want to be a bother or-"

Kitsune pounced on him, nearly knocking him over as she dove on top of him and nuzzled her head against his neck. He fought to keep from laughing as her hair tickled him, but the surprised yelp was something he couldn't suppress as she nibbled on his ear.

"Keikei doesn't bother me at all…" She whispered the truth directly into his ear as she traced imaginary circles on his chest with her finger. "On the contrary, you-"

Something knocked on the door and, much to her disappointment, Keitaro was wiggling out of her grasp before she even had the chance to wonder who it was. Sighing, Kitsune got to her feet and watched her landlord put an ample amount of distance between them. "Who is it?"

"It's me." Naru slid open the door and invited herself in. "Have you seen Keitaro? I've been looking for him all day."

"Well, ain't it obvious?" Kitsune stepped aside so her friend could see the man she was looking for but, with a stray look over her shoulder, she found that he was gone. Immediately she turned around and looked for sight of landlord, but failed to find any trace of him.

"So you noticed, too?" Naru bit on her lip, pensive as she looked down at the floor. "He's been avoiding me these last few days…"

"Yeah…" She decided to run along with her friend's misconception. "What about it?"

"What about it?" The brunette repeated, her tone bitter and sarcastic as she locked eyes with Kitsune. "He's avoiding me, Mitsune. That means he's not studying with me so I don't know how he plans to-"

"That's all? He's been studying on his own." Kitsune waved her off before walking back to her table and taking a seat in front of it. "Don't worry about it. He's smarter than you think he is."

The Tokyo University hopeful balled her hands at her sides. She was getting frustrated. Of course she knew how smart her study partner was. Just because she was hard on him didn't mean she thought he was really slow or stupid.

Even if she said he was.

"I didn't come to you to get chastised, Mitsune." Naru followed her into her room and stood over her best friend. "Look, can you just tell me where he is?"

"I really-" Kitsune started with the intention of honestly telling her that she had no idea where he went until she caught sight of the movement under her bed. "I really haven't seen him since he fixed your door. Why didn't you try talking to him then?"

"He skipped cram school to do it. I told you that yesterday and…" Wasting no time, Naru was already on her way out the moment she realized that she wasn't going to get any clues from her friend. "When you're finished sticking up for him let me know so I can talk to him."

Naru closed the door behind her and Kitsune watched her leave. She felt horrible for turning her away when she was looking for help and, more than that, she felt guilty for telling a lie than even Su could see through. It was alright, though. With the privacy of her room intact once again, a couple of drinks would rid her of any lingering guilt. "Coast clear, captain…"

"Thank you." Keitaro looked both ways before he crawled from under her bed and gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry about that, but… I really don't feel like seeing her right now."

She knocked back another shot and relaxed in the way it burned all the down to her stomach. "You've been running from her for three days, Keitaro…"

He stood up and dusted himself off. "I don't know what to do."

Resigning herself to the warmth that was starting to settle in her belly, Kitsune offer little more than a shrug as she stared at the amber she sloshed around in her glass. "Just go and see what she wants."

She was right and he knew it.

He would have to face her either way. It wasn't like he could avoid her forever given his job, but he didn't want to approach her as the landlord. He preferred that the girls thought of him as their friend before anything else even with his status as the manager of the dormitory they lived in.

It was true that he made an effort to become friends with all of them, but he wanted to be more than just friends with the girl that lived in the room above his. That was why he steeled himself with a deep breath before heading for the door and not even bothering to stop for the sketchbook he was leaving behind.

"Don't let her give up on you, Keitaro…"

He looked over his shoulder and found a smile waiting on him. It was a smile that urged him to grab hold of the affection he deserved. It was a smile she forced and he could tell. "Hey…" He turned back around, his talk with Naru something he put on hold as he retraced his steps. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Kitsune tried to wave him away with a laugh. "I'm just getting tired of this cheap stuff…" She held up the near empty bottle to back up another obvious lie.

He refused to buy into it as he neared her. "Do you want to talk about it?" She definitely didn't want to talk about it, but she was weak when it came to the clumsy man that took a seat next to her. "If you don't want to then I'll understand, but I'll be around if-"

"I…" Kitsune cut him off as she poured herself another glass. "I… don't mind lying to people." A nervous chuckle was something she used to try and lighten the somber mood that fell on the room, but she only served to make herself feel more miserable. "It's just when someone I care about knows I'm lying I—Wait… Never mind." She shook her head before raising the glass to her lips. "Forget it."

It burned. She liked the touch of alcohol. She liked the way it warmed her and she liked the fog that started to build in her mind, but it wasn't enough to carry her away from the facts. She was uncomfortably exposed. She was never used to confiding in others since it was usually the other way around. Nothing good would come from sharing her problems with him.

"It's not your fault."

His hand fell into place on her shoulder, his words instilled with confidence as he breached the gap between them with touch.

"You lied for me. I'm the one responsible since you were doing it for my sake." Keitaro offered her a small smile as he gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Really, I would have come out if I knew I was going to make you feel bad."

No one ever tried to comfort her before.

She was always the one who had to do the cheering up. She was always the one that gave the pep talk. She was always the one that had to stand up when the people that were depending on her were falling down.

"Keitaro…"

That was all she could say, the fact that she was touched one that she couldn't share lest he found out her true feelings. She fostered a smile, pulling up a mask in hopes of making him believe she was okay even though she wasn't.

"I know!" Keitaro exclaimed as he suddenly shot up and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a crumbled strip of paper, a smile something he shared the moment he read what he scribbled on scrap. "Let me make it up to you!"

"I'm alright…" Her smile became real as she found his enthusiasm infectious. "You don't owe me anything just because a little lie or two."

"Well," He looked at her and it felt like butterflies took flight in her stomach. "I kind of took your advice and made reservations for dinner at one of those fancy restaurants. I never really got a chance to ask Naru again so…"

She was starting to feel hot and she was sure it had nothing to do with the alcohol she drunk. "You want…" She swallowed hard before pointing at herself. "You want me to go out to dinner with you?"

"Yeah." A part of him was expecting her to flat out refuse so he couldn't help, but get excited at the prospect of going somewhere with her. "It's tonight, though. Is that too sudden…?"

"No… No!" Kitsune shook her head so fast she almost got a headache. "I'll go!" In an attempt to make her feel better, he raised her spirits so high that she nearly forgot what made her sad in the first place. "Give me twenty minutes!"

0

Shinobu was a perfectionist.

That was why every dish was immaculately clean and why every utensil was properly in place. That was why the refrigerator was always fully stocked and why the canned goods were in alphabetical order. It was why the floor was always shiny, why she could see her reflection in the countertops, and…

"Put some bananas in it!" Su, excited by the idea, jumped up and down beside the cook. "Bananas make everything better, Shinobu!"

"Beef and bananas…?" The young girl pulled an errant strand of blue out of her view as she stirred the stew. "Ha… Maybe some other time, okay?"

It was why she was in charge of cooking.

"But you never add bananas to anything!" The dark-skinned princess whined as another attempt to get her favorite ingredient added failed. "Just try it this one time."

"No thanks." Shinobu stepped off the small stool she needed to reach over the stove. "I'll make some banana pudding for you later, though, if you want."

Su pouted, but a small victory was better than none. "Okay…"

"Can you go and get everyone?" The cook grabbed the onion she left on the counter. "Tell them dinner will be… ready… in…" She dropped the onion as she tried to talk, but no words left her mouth as she gawked at the woman in front of her.

"I'll have to take a rain check on dinner today, kid." Kitsune smiled as she picked up the vegetable and tossed it to Su. "I was going to ask how I looked, but I guess I'm good to go."

The little black dress she saved for special occasions was one she never wore before. It was sleeveless, sleek, and somewhat boring even though she liked the split. It was the only formal dress she owned so she was glad she didn't throw it away and, based on the looks she was getting from the girls, she wagered it was a good thing she kept it. It wasn't the type of thing she would normally wear but, then again, she wasn't the type to put a clamp in her hair or go to expensive restaurants, either.

"Wah! Y-You're beautiful!" Shinobu practically gushed as she ran up to the older woman. "Are you going to another party?"

"Not this time." Kitsune patted the younger girl on the head. "I'm going out for dinner with a friend."

"Aww…" Su groaned in disappointment as she walked up to the pair. "You sure you don't want to stay for banana beef stew?"

Shinobu gasped as she looked over her shoulder at the princess and the banana peels that littered the floor behind her. Usually, banana peels only meant she had some cleaning up to do before her sempai slipped on one but, given what the girl had already said, it meant something way worse than a mess was behind her.

"Su, don't tell me…" The cook snatched her gaze away from the floor and was dismayed to find a banana sticking out of the pot. "Nooo!!"

Muttering something about updating Mecha-Tama, Su ran off and Shinobu was just as quick to grab the closest thing, a ladle, and give chase. Grinning and thankful that the girl wouldn't have the opportunity to pose any questions, Kitsune strolled over to the stove and turned down the heat.

Her laughter gradually died down as she realized just how glad she really was the Shinobu didn't bother asking who she was going with. Just like everyone else, she knew that she had the biggest crush on Keitaro and it wouldn't have been pretty if she just outright told the girl she was going to dinner with their landlord.

She wondered how she'd react.

She wondered how Naru would react if she knew.

"It's not a date…" She said out loud, echoing her thoughts as she stepped away from the stove.

"I know." Keitaro entered the kitchen with a smile as he fixed his tie. He knew it'd be easy for anyone to get the wrong idea. If need be, he was ready to explain to anyone that asked that it honestly wasn't what it appeared to be. "After I remember how to make this knot then we can leave."

"You didn't have to wear a suit but," Kitsune returned his smile with one of her own before using a hand to signal him to come closer. He did and she gently ushered his hands aside so she could fix his tie. "You look really good."

"T-Thanks." Keitaro turned away as he blushed. "You…" He cleared his throat. "You look really good, too."

"Thank you Keikei!" Finished with his tie, she looped her arm around his and pointed towards the door. "Let's go! No banana beef stew for us tonight!"

"Huh?" He looked genuinely confused before he took a glance behind her at the pot left unattended. "Banana beef stew…?"

"I'll tell you about it on the way."

They walked off, pausing only to slip on their shoes before they left. With the promise of good food, wine, and conversation, they ventured out into the evening all but oblivious of the person that watched them go.

The moment the sound of their footsteps became distant, Motoko stepped outside. A breeze touched upon her figure as she looked down the steps at the retreating pair locked arm in arm with each other. She watched them leave with narrowed eyes and, although she was extremely curious, the swordswoman decided against following them.

Spying was beneath her after all.

If she really wanted to know what was going on all she had to do was just confront the woman and make a formal inquiry into her relationship with the landlord. It was the proper thing to do, but it wasn't just some woman.

It was Mitsune.

Knowing her, the whole thing was probably some half-baked plot to talk Keitaro into sponsoring her next drinking binge and, knowing him, he would probably fall for it. Motoko chuckled as she stepped back inside. It was foolish to even think that the two of them could have, much less maintain, and relationship other than that of a swindler and her victim.

How could they be anything else? They most certainly couldn't be lovers. The idea that Mitsune could be serious enough to undertake a relationship was simply one she couldn't fathom and their landlord definitely lacked the backbone to support such a louse.

Thinking of Keitaro, she wondered how he could agree to such a ridiculous proposition. Getting dressed up like that and going with someone who obviously sought to take advantage of him was no better than food seasoning itself.

Besides, if he was that lonely, all he had to do was ask and she would have went with him.

Immediately, Motoko pulled the brakes on her thoughts and refused to even entertain the notion of going on a date with someone that…

"That what…?" She ignored any caution and faced the lingering thought that refused to leave her even as she walked back into the kitchen. "Someone that I like?"

She liked him. She accepted that she did a long time ago, but she never tried to confirm or even think about her own feeling in depth. What were her meager feelings compared to those of his study partner or even the little chef that had the most obvious crush? How could she possibly like him more than they did? How could she love him more than they did?

It was because she never sorted out her feelings that she never thought to consider them and seeing Mitsune leave with him in tow prompted her to be more than envious. She was angry that someone even further away from his heart than she was could steal him away for a night. Just seeing them together was proof that she could have been the one he went with.

She could have been the one that was with him…

The swordswoman was undeniably angry at the landlord that skipped to Mitsune's tune, but she knew herself well enough to know that it was more to it than that. She was mad because seeing Mitsune latch onto his arm made it feel like she had a valid chance, a real opportunity, to be with him and was wasting it on account of…

"Motoko, dinner's ready…" Shinobu greeted the older girl, interrupting the thought that was still cloudy with a strained smile. "Can you go and get sempai before his b-banana beef stew gets cold?"

While the peculiar look on her face and the dented ladle she held did raise questions Motoko didn't want answered, she had a nagging feeling that no good would come from telling the young girl that her crush wasn't coming to dinner, but, even in the midst of her own uncertain feelings, she was never one to tell a lie.

Continued…

Next chapter:

Nightshift

"N-No, I… I just don't want you to be close to him!"


	3. Nightshift

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Three

Nightshift

The deep, soulful sounds of the bass flowed through the air like it was meant to be there and the soothing melody of the piano accompanied it. It was jazz, music that was meant to be a backdrop to the food, but she admired it all the same even if it wasn't really her thing.

Swirling the wine around in her glass, Kitsune turned to look at the singer as she finally returned to the stage and grasped the microphone. She started to sing, her voice thick with emotion and infused with the instruments behind her. The woman swayed as she sung, visibly enjoying herself as the song came to life with her voice.

It sounded nice, but she felt it retained a subtle sadness about it.

"I didn't know you had a little brother." Keitaro continued the conversation while they waited on the food to arrive. "Then again…" He looked down in thought, whispering as he remembered there was something he never shared with the girls. "I guess I never told anyone about my little sister."

"Ha," The luster of her hair dulled thanks to the dimmed lighting, but he could still see the shine. "He's the serious type." She lowered her glass as she donated a thought to the family she left behind. "You know, the kind that wouldn't like having such an irresponsible big sister."

"Sorry…"

"Don't worry about it. Most of my family is stiff like that." Kitsune shot him a playful smile before leaning forward. "So tell me more about my sister-in-law."

Keitaro almost did a spit take, but he had the presence of mind to remember where he was. "She is…" He coughed in an attempt to clear his throat. "She is… unique."

"Aww…" His company pouted, clearly unsatisfied with his description. "That's all you have to say about someone close to you? Makes me wonder how you talk about me."

"You're really lively, Kitsune." He blurted out, feeling more embarrassed the moment they made eye contact. "Um, I mean you always seem to be having a lot of fun even though-"

"I'm a slob?" She grinned as he shook his head to deny it, but she already knew that much. It was only natural she'd be a fountain of knowledge when it came to the way she lived her life. "It is fun sometimes, but I always con myself into spending too much on racing tickets. No one really buys my crappy articles, either. Can't really say it's the high life or anything."

"I always wondered, though…" He started before the waitress placed their plates in front of them. "I always wondered what you really wanted to do. I got a general idea of what everyone else wants to do, but I don't ever think I asked you what you planned on doing in the future."

"No idea…"

Kitsune poked at the steak on her plate as she told him the truth. Anytime someone asked her the question, she had the verbal prowess to avoid answering and could usually change the topic altogether. It was different with him though.

She could tell him.

She gave him the honesty she rarely invested in others, but that didn't stop her from believing he wouldn't just go on the same tired tirade that everyone else did when they found out she wasn't actively pursuing anything worthwhile.

"Same here…"

That was the last thing she expected to hear.

"Huh?" She stopped playing with her food long enough to look up at him. "What about Tokyo U?"

"I don't know what I want to major in or anything… The whole reason I tried so hard to get in was because of a promise I made with someone in the past." Keitaro picked up a fork as the trio on stage finished and gained a small round of applause. "Does that… sound silly to you?"

"Kind of…" Kitsune stopped clapping and leaned back in her seat. "Well, it's not wrong. It's just that it sounds kind of crazy to go through all of that because of something you said a long time ago. Do you remember why you made a promise like that?"

"I guess it was the girl, but I really don't know." He lifted the knife and started to cut into his steak. "I was thinking about it the other day. I was studying and then I just started wondering why I was trying so hard."

"Isn't it because of Naru?"

He froze for a moment and she knew why. The subject of Naru was always a sensitive, sometimes sore, subject for him. She already knew how he felt about her friend so it wouldn't do him any good to beat around the bush.

"Not at all." He chewed the piece of meat he popped into his mouth and swallowed it before uttering another word. "I wouldn't mind going to school with her, but I never thought of going just because she'd be there."

"I always thought you wanted to go since it had a history of being the best or something like that. You know, making your folks proud and all that stuff."

"Nope," Keitaro said simply as he pierced another square of meat with his fork. "My parents… They…"

Don't care.

"They are sort of indifferent when it comes to things I do nowadays and I don't think grandma cares as long as I enjoy what I do."

Kitsune sighed as she finished off the last of her wine and placed the empty glass to the side of her plate. "You're not thinking about giving up are you?"

"I'm not giving up." The landlord set aside his utensils and locked eyes her as he answered the question. "It wasn't until we talked to each other the other day that I started to think about things I've never really thought about before…"

"Keitaro," She was just as serious as she stared him in the eyes, the thought that she unintentionally played a role in stopping him from going to school one that literally started to take what was left of her appetite. "You have to go to school. Seriously, it doesn't even matter what you major in… I just don't want you to end up like me."

"Noo!" He frantically waved his hands around in front of him and caught some unnerving glares from the people seated around them. "I'm still going to go to school. I was just thinking about what you said, you know, about art school and…" He smiled as he cleared up her misunderstanding. "I don't see anything bad about you, Kitsune."

She knew he could draw and actually thought his choice to be a pretty good one considering his talent, but the fact that he held no qualms about her lifestyle stole her breath.

"If you really wanted to, you could do anything." He said it like it was obvious. "You just don't know what you want to do yet, right?"

The faith he had in her was remarkable and so was the fact that he wasn't trying to flatter her. In his simple smile was the truth he believed in and he believed in her. He was still looking at her, a twinge of awe for her in his eyes until she motioned to speak.

However, no words left her mouth on account of being rendered speechless. More than just admiring her for no reason, he was placing her on a pedestal she didn't even know existed. Without even making an honest effort, he took her to cloud nine and all she could do was bask in the warmth of his attention.

"What…" She found her words and the question she wanted to ask. "What makes you say something like that?"

"Um…" His face was still somewhat red, the sideway glance he gave her failing to hide his blush as he suddenly found his steak extremely interesting. "You're really intelligent, Kitsune."

"What…?"

"If you tried, you could get into Tokyo-U. I'm sure you have a better chance of getting in than I do." Keitaro unknowingly continued to dazzle her. "Now that I think about it, you really should try the entrance exam just to—Did I…" He caught the look on her face. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Huh?" Kitsune blinked and quickly reached up to wipe away the moisture that built up in the corner of her eye. "No…" She responded softly, smiling as she lowered her hand. "It's just that no one ever complimented me like that before…"

Compliments…

It wasn't rare for men to say she was beautiful before they tried to buy her a drink or two, but the magic wore off when they tried to get into her pants. She was called cunning a few times and even conniving, but never intelligent.

She was called stupid more times than beautiful, the fact that she was supposedly wasting her life doing nothing aside from drinking and odd jobs one that led to the popular assumption that she wasn't that much brighter than the dim lights above.

"Are you serious…?" He was stunned. "No one ever told you that before?"

"Never." The waiter stopped by her side to pour more wine into her glass. "I guess I always thought of myself as clever, but it's really nice to hear you say something like that. Anyway," She turned to watch the trio take the stage again. "No matter what anyone says, I know you can do it."

"Huh?"

"Ha, I'm talking about art school Keikei. If it's what you want to do then I'll support you one hundred and ten percent."

His face lit up. "I was scared to tell the girls about it because I thought they'd lose respect for me again, but I-"

"Don't worry about things like that." They made eye contact as she turned back around to face him. "If someone doesn't like it then tough, do it anyway. If someone tries to stop you then just ignore them."

"I can't do something like that…" Keitaro finished his steak and pushed the plate aside. "I care about what you all think and, even if I do stupid stuff sometimes, I really do value everyone's opinion."

"You're too kind…" She kept her smile as she listened to the song. "You have to be bold sometimes, Keikei. You know, do some stuff without worrying about what other people think."

"I guess I could try…"

His company beamed, nodding in approval and satisfaction as he spoke. Just getting him to try was enough no matter the actual outcome. Still, it was an effort in vain. Keitaro was always considerate and it was just a part of his character that would never change. Asking him to give up a part of himself was akin to her giving up alcohol.

"Well, I know I'm kind of spineless, but-"

"I didn't say that."

"I know, I know." He was slow to look up at her. "I was just trying to say I could at least try if you take the entrance exam."

She brought a hand up to cover her mouth in order to keep from laughing out loud. Keitaro, of all people, was trying to pull a fast one on her. "Ha, nice try Keikei, but I'll need you to do something harder than just try if you want to make a deal like that. I mean, I haven't messed with school in years."

"Um, I'll go without my glasses for a week?"

"Hmm, it'd be funny but I don't want you to die." A dark smile crept onto her face as an excellent idea came to mind. "How about no accidents for a week? I'd take the test if you can do that but, if you lose, then I only have to pay half rent next month."

"Okay."

"You're pretty confident." Kitsune patted her full stomach after she finished eating as much as she could. "I'm glad you're trying to look out for me Keitaro, but you shouldn't go around making deals like that."

"Ha, I know." He waved a hand to signal for the bill. "I'm not saying you have to enroll or anything. I just know you're bound to get more compliments when you pass."

"Keitaro…"

He touched her heart without knowing it, the simple smile he had on his face just the tip of the arrow that stuck her in the chest. He was wonderful. Without even trying he was already the best date she ever had and he easily gave her the most wonderful evening of her life.

She loved him.

"You really know how to make a girl happy…" Kitsune tilted her head, affection prompting her to ask him for just one more thing to complete the night she would never forget. "Another condition though."

"Sure." Another song finished and the bill arrived in the midst of applause. "What is it?" He asked as he fished a hand around in his pocket for some extra bills to leave as a tip.

"You have to come and study with me, Keikei."

0

"Haha!" She grasped his arm tighter as she doubled over, laughing even harder as they made their way up the steps. "Tell me you're kidding!"

"I don't get it…" He was puzzled, his eyebrow arching as his company sought to wipe the tears out of her eyes. "Is it really that funny that Aunt—I mean, Haruka beat me up when I was a kid?"

"What isn't funny about that? I always just thought you were immortal or something." Kitsune admitted after they finally reached the top. "It's just ironic that the reason you're so tough is because someone used to beat up on you."

"I wouldn't put it that way, but I guess you're right." Keitaro held open the door and followed her inside. "Now that I think about it, it is kind of funny that she hit me back then because I didn't call her aunt."

With the mystery behind his resilience revealed, Kitsune directed a sly smile at her landlord. "So… you know how a good date is supposed to end, don't you?"

"Um… no?"

She grinned as she took off her high heels shoes and picked them up by the straps. "Close your eyes and I'll give you-"

"Excuse me."

Both of them jumped, their heads snapping to the side to find Motoko standing before them with her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. Kitsune couldn't hold in her sigh as Keitaro seemingly shrunk under the swordswoman's glare, but she couldn't fault him considering the many times her blade was held against him.

"Yeah?"

"I would like to speak with Mitsune…" She directed the full extent of her glare at their landlord, and he couldn't shake the feeling that she was telling him to leave long before she said it. "Alone."

Motoko watched him stalk away before shifting her eyes to the woman in front of her. Kitsune caught her glare and was remarkably unfazed as she picked at her fingernails. "So, what's up?"

"You are disgusting."

That caught her attention.

"What did you just say…?" Kitsune opened her eyes wide and faced the vindictive gaze leveled at her with no small amount of confusion.

"I honesty don't know why I allowed you to be a bad influence on the other girls, but I will not allow you to have your way with that man." Motoko stepped forward and looked down at the older woman. "Mitsune, I will make myself clear. I am more than willing to give you a chance to change your ways so I suggest you-"

"I don't know where you are coming from with all this hate, but…" She stared at the girl through strands of gray as she took a step in her direction. "You better not ever call me disgusting again."

"You are disgusting."

"Fuck you."

Kitsune brushed passed her to get to the stairs, her mood souring as she ascended the steps and the taller girl was quick to follow her.

"Why did you need to be alone with him?" Motoko wasn't finished. "Did you waste all your money on alcohol again? Do you think you can keep talking him into giving you-"

"What are you trying to say?" Kitsune felt like screaming at her, but kept her voice low and cold as she stomped back down the steps to face the swordswoman. She didn't understand why she was so angry and, frankly, she didn't care, but she wouldn't let her keep talking about her that way.

"Leave Keitaro alone…"

That was it.

"Why!?" Kitsune was angry, her patience tested and cracking as she yelled in her face. "He's the landlord, Motoko! What the hell do you want me to do? Huh? Move out?"

"N-No," She didn't expected it to be easy given what she had to say, but it was the first time she ever had to deal with an angry Mitsune. "I… I just don't want you to be close to him!"

Her emotions stirred like a puddle disturbed and she couldn't do anything to stop the ripples from touching her heart. The feelings she never shared, the feelings she sought to keep secret were ready to come out and no amount of poise could hold them back.

"Anyone…" Motoko grabbed the railing in an effort to steady herself, but it was already too late to calm her heart. "I could stand it if it was anyone but you!"

That was definitely it.

She would be able to manage if it was anyone other than the lazy drunk that was pathetic enough to ask the landlord to lend her money on more than a few occasions. There was no doubt the woman had ulterior motives, but that wasn't the sole reason she was not worthy of being with him.

Kitsune was scum.

She was the kind of woman that degraded the entire gender, the kind of person that she hated with a passion. She was a freeloading alcoholic that was trying to upstage everyone by snatching away the one man they all, in some shape or form, found promise in.

Even on the unbelievable event that her feelings were sincere, she still couldn't have him because, frankly, she didn't deserve him. He was everything that she wasn't. He was kind, someone that thought little of putting himself in danger for the sake of others so he deserved way better than someone who would only seek to cheat him out of his money and have fun at his expense.

As she quietly sat at the table to consume the travesty they had for dinner, Motoko knew the real reason she couldn't tolerate the ridiculous idea of Mitsune fostering a romantic relationship with Keitaro had nothing to do with protecting the innocence of the younger girls or even maintaining the status quo in Hinata Sou. Deep down, she knew most of it was just because…

"You're jealous?" Kitsune glared at her, her eyebrows dipping as her expression darkened. "You said all that just because you're jealous?"

"I am…" Motoko grudgingly admitted, the thought of them actually enjoying each other's company putting a cold arrow through her heart. She was mature enough to understand that she wouldn't have been happy regardless of the woman he took with him, but choosing Mitsune hit the swordswoman in the pride that she staked her life on.

The truth was that she couldn't stand the thought of a good-for-nothing, out of all of them, getting the chance to spend a night out with him. Going out was one thing, but the bare notion of Mitsune being a candidate for something that she, as someone superior to her on many levels, never got was reason the fire in her eyes couldn't be put out.

"Yes, I am jealous…" She accepted it, knowing fully well that it was true, but she didn't forget what she really wanted to say. "Leave Keitaro alone." She repeated herself, the tone of her voice serving as a warning all by itself thanks to the words she whispered. "I am not playing-"

"Um…" Keitaro bravely stepped towards them, but felt it was safer to stop at the base of the steps. "It's kind of late so…"

"Urashima!" Motoko called out to him without turning around. "Tell this woman you will have nothing to do with her!" She pointed an accusing finger at Mitsune before she spun to face him, black hair swishing around like whips as she looked him eye. "She takes you for a joke and only wants your money!"

"No…"

Kitsune looked at him with the intention of denying what was obviously untrue, but what she saw relieved any fears she thought she had.

"That's why you were yelling at each other?" A small smile came to his face as he made his way up the steps. "Don't worry about me, Motoko. She might poke fun at me sometimes, but it's nothing serious, right?" He waited for Kitsune to nod before continuing. "She always pays me back so you don't have to argue with each other, okay?"

"Ura—No, Keitaro…" Her gaze softened just as much as her voice as he graced her with a gentle smile that made her heart beat faster. "Why… Why did you go out with this woman?"

Why did he pick Mitsune over her?

He looked over her shoulder to get some help from the woman she spoke of, but nothing was forthcoming as Kitsune, too, wondered what he'd say. "Um, because I wanted to talk to her?"

Pleased that the outing wasn't what she thought it was, Motoko lowered the arm she used to point at the woman she thought was her antagonist and took a deep breath before making a request of her own. "Can you invite me to dinner then? On Saturday?"

It was a valid question, but it wasn't just a request. She needed him to say yes because she wouldn't accept anything less than what had been given to someone undeserving of his time. If Mitsune was treated to dinner to a four star restaurant, then she would go to a five star. If she had fun with him then she would just have to make him enjoy himself to forget all about her.

"I don't mind but…" Keitaro rubbed the back of his neck as he looked up at her. He had come with the intention of asking them to keep it down and ended up in another difficult situation. "I really don't like it when you all fight with each other." Their eyes met again. "What's wrong, Motoko? Is there… something more to this?"

Wrong?

It wasn't about what was wrong. Nothing was wrong with her. It was about what was right and, in one spectacular moment, she realized she could give voice to her feelings for the first time.

"I love you. I… I love you, Keitaro so…" She paused just long enough to take in his surprise. "I don't want to see her drag you down to her level. I don't want that to happen to you."

"I love you, too." She nearly swooned as he returned her feelings with a simple, but sad smile. "I love all of you so I really hate it when you talk to each other that way."

Though she was wonderfully content with her confession, he was having a serious misunderstanding. She loved him and he loved her. That much was true, but she didn't want to be regarded with the same kind of affection he had for everyone else.

If Mitsune could somehow end up getting a date with him, then nothing was impossible. Their date next weekend could be just a stepping stone, a base to build upon in hopes of expanding to new and better things. If she tried then she could even become his lover. The thought made her blush, but the truth was obvious. If she wanted the feelings she suppressed for so long to become mutual then the woman before her was not the one to worry about.

It was her best friend.

Her mistake was realized so she would admit she was wrong. "Mitsune," She promptly looked over her shoulder at her housemate. "I apologize for jumping to conclusions and I hope you forgive me before long. Keitaro," The young woman walked pass Mitsune as she decided to retire for the night. "I will be expecting you to have preparations made for our dinner no later than Friday."

With that, the swordswoman left her for her room and the two she left behind looked at one another waiting to see if there was anything left to be said. With the few seconds of silence extending into a minute, Keitaro considered following Motoko's example until Kitsune decided to make some conversation.

"She was really jealous…" The tenant slowly waltzed down the steps towards her landlord. "Almost thought she was going to draw her sword on me."

"She wouldn't have done that…" Keitaro sighed as he fidgeted with the tie he still had on. "I guess I should have been straight with everyone instead of just leaving."

"Ahh, don't start that taking the blame crap on me now. You know you did the right thing. If we would have announced that just the two of us was going out to have some fun then everyone would have got the wrong idea." She flashed him a trademark smile as she met him at the bottom of the stairs. "One jealous girl is better than four, right?"

"Yeah…" He chuckled as the dark thought of all of the girls fighting with each other crossed his mind, but the truth behind it wasn't funny at all. "I know, but I don't see what makes me so special or anything, though. It felt like just the other day when everyone was trying to make me leave and now…" He laughed again, blushing as he scratched the side of his face. "Now we're going out to eat together, Motoko telling me she loves me… It makes me really happy we can all see eye to eye nowadays."

"Man," She sighed. "I wish we could have ended the night on a good note."

"It's alright. You are going to forgive her, aren't you?"

"I don't know." Kitsune grumbled before taking a seat on the steps. "Even though she didn't say anything I never heard before, it just really brought me down after I had such a really good time."

"If she was jealous then she didn't really mean the things she said, right?" He sat down next to her and loosened his tie. "If she didn't really—Ha, never mind. You don't need my help to patch things up with her."

"All of his happened because you wanted to cheer me up and here you go doing it again." She playfully rubbed her hand around in his hand and messed it up. "Only if you knew how great a guy you are…"

"Thanks." Keitaro smiled and so did she. "It's just… Well, I don't feel that great. To tell you the truth, I…" He leaned back and the edge of the steps behind him pressed into his back. "I don't really know how to respond to that. She said she loves me so I have to—Ouch…"

"I told you to start thinking about yourself some more." Kitsune let go of the ear she pulled. "You have feelings just like she does and, besides, you already said what she wanted to hear. More importantly, how about you let me give you that good date kiss now, Keikei?"

Before she could reach into her purse for some lipstick, he was already up and walking away. Though he was long gone before she could even think to give chase, Kitsune smirked as she stood and watched him go.

There was always tomorrow.

Continued…

Next chapter:

Disconnect

"That's not how I really am! You… You should know that better than anyone…"


	4. Disconnect

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Four

Disconnect

"Kitsune, um… I know I asked this before, but are you sure about this?" The landlord was slow to ask the question as he stood in her room with a roll of garbage bags in one hand and a screwdriver in the other. He watched the tenant think long and hard before nodding her head again. "I won't be angry or anything if you change your mind."

"We have to do it now, Keitaro!" She slammed her fist into her palm, her determination the sole thing urging her to do what had to be done. "Remember our deal!"

"Studying doesn't have anything to do with-"

"No," She walked over to him and took the garbage bags out of his hand. "I'm not talking about that one. You know, the one where I give you the good date kiss at dinner if you try and talk me out of this? Remember?"

"Hey!" He couldn't recall something like that because it never happened. "I don't remember making a deal like-" Kitsune shot him a look that told him it was a deal they just struck and he didn't have it in him to argue as thoughts of angry girls beating him up assaulted his mind. With that and hopes of avoiding bodily harm, Keitaro quickly crossed the room and started to take the bottles off her shelves until he realized a new dilemma. "What do you want to keep?"

"Nothing…" She looked pained as he deposited the bottles, some empty and others just about there, into the garbage bag she held out. "Just put them all—Wait! Was that a whole bottle of scotch?!"

"Noo!" He reached in the bag and grabbed it before she could. "We can't stop now! We just started, Kitsune!"

As he cautiously put the unopened bottle back in the bag, Kitsune experienced a kind of stupid she never felt before. How or even why she decided to rid herself of all the alcohol she came to amass was something that she forgot not soon after she woke up. Though she forgot the reason, the intention remained and, at the time, it didn't seem like such a bad idea to throw away the drinks she collected and make a conscious effort to live without them for a while.

With a heavy heart and dragging feet, she moved about her room to pick up the horse racing sheets and old articles she had randomly left lying around. All of them had stories, some forgotten and others she could never forget. It was only when she picked through her stash of articles she wrote that she remembered the award she won right after she got out of school. She held it up and smiled, a small prize she treasured more than the garbage she saved it from at least one of the reasons she thought to make a change.

"You can put the paper and stuff in the garbage while I put this away." Keitaro grimaced a little before lifting the heavy bag and heaving it over his shoulder. "I'll take down the shelves after that."

Reminded of the things she was going to lose, Kitsune finished collecting the scraps of lottery tickets and the various magazines she owned before standing up. He left her room and she followed after letting out an exaggerated sigh. "I guess I'll give it to Haruka or something… Still can't believe I had something I never tasted."

"I don't think Aunt Haruka likes whiskey, but I'm sure she'll be glad to have something other than tea every once in a while." They walked down the steps and he winced as the bag of bottles clanked against his back with every step. "I have to admit I'm proud of you though, Kitsune."

"Thanks…" Still lamenting over the scotch she never tasted, she continued to mope as he walked towards an unoccupied room. "Um, what's in there?"

"Oh, nothing's in here." He entered with the bag in hand and left the door open for her. "I was just going to leave this here instead of throwing it away."

"So…" She deadpanned as she made the only fair assumption. "You're going to keep all that?"

"Ha, I just don't want to throw away something that's important to you." He gently sat the bag down in the middle of the room and stretched his back. "I'll just keep it here until you decide when you want it back."

"Keitaro…"

"Here." He fished around in the bag before pulling out the scotch and offering it to her. "You deserve it and I really meant it when I said I was proud of you, Kitsune. We can even celebrate when everyone gets back."

"It's not that big a deal…" She felt embarrassed, her cheeks taking a rosy color as he grabbed her hand and pressed the neck of the bottle into her palm. Idly, she wondered if he'd ever notice how he never ceased to make her happy. "We… We don't need to party or anything."

"You did something really big today so we have to find something to-"

"Keitaro!!" Naru stormed into the room in search of the man she was looking for and found him. "We need to talk! Now!"

Both of the occupants exchanged looks before the landlord took a glance at his wristwatch. It was still early in the day so it was strange to see anyone other than the woman standing next to him. "Um, okay… but shouldn't you be at cram school?"

"What about you?" She was quick to turn the tables on him, the questions she had to ask far more important than any he wanted answered. "I know you've been skipping out on the classes so don't even try to lie about it. Do you want to fail the entrance exam? Again?"

"No—I mean, I changed my mind…" Keitaro averted his eyes away from the girl that pressed him. "I'm not going to Tokyo U anymore." He looked up at her with optimism. "I know it sounds-"

"You…" She grumbled, her tone low and holding enough malice for Kitsune to expect horns to sprout from her head. "You…" She was so angry that she could barely focus enough to complete a thought much less form a proper sentence.

Her respect for him plummeted in seconds, the progress she felt he made something that disappeared so fast that it almost made her dizzy. Even if he was a bumbling fool half the time, he never lost sight of the goal he always failed to reach. Out of all his qualities, it was his dedication to his dream that she found so attractive. It was the one thing about him that should could admire and find no fault in.

Without a doubt, what he was doing was wrong.

"You're giving up!" She exploded. "After all that, you're just going to give up!?"

"I'm not giving up…" He responded weakly, defending himself the best he could as he held up his hands in mild protest. "I'm just doing what I think-"

"Is this because of the door?" She approached him, the steps she took towards him something she used in an attempt to close the gap that she feared she created. "Look, I'm sorry. Really. I didn't mean to hit you that hard."

"I'm not mad at you, Naru. I know that's just how you are, but-"

"That's not how I really am!" She interrupted him again. "You… You should know that better than anyone…"

It was a conversation dyed in feelings, mixed emotions stirring as they stared at each other. She was on the verge of grasping the dream she thought they shared and he was looking pass it in favor of another. In a way, she felt betrayed and it wasn't just because he thought to do something different.

"What do you mean that's not how you really are…?" He was confused. The consistency of her punches and the depth of her insults led him to believe that it was one of the, if not the most, solid facets of her character.

The subject of their conversation took a sharp turn and it headed right back to her. She marched into the room ready to talk about school and prepared to argue about his future, but she was never ready to talk about herself.

"I…"

Never meant to hurt you.

"I only hit you because you're such an idiot!" Naru pointed at him even though she couldn't be anymore frustrated at herself. "I would have helped you fix the door. I wanted to apologize a long time ago, but you avoided me! Just…"

Understand me.

"Just tell me why and I'll leave you alone…" The flame inside her was blown out by her own heart and the fire in her eyes faded. "If it's because of something I did then…"

She trailed off, hopelessly hurt at the thought that he didn't want to attend the school of his dreams just because she would be there. More than that, it didn't take a genius to equate his dedication to get into Tokyo University to his devotion to her.

It was one thing for him to miss out on a few study sessions and skipping out on cram school didn't mean much of anything for real, but giving up on school meant he was giving up on her.

"It's not like that, Naru. I was just thinking about trying an art school." She instantly felt better, her face lighting up as he decided to tell her everything. "I was going to tell everyone tonight, but I made up my mind already. I already sent my portfolio to some schools."

"That was all you had to say." Naru let out the deep breath she took and smiled. "I was just worried. I thought you stopped coming to cram school because…" Her smile faded a little. "Because of me…"

"N-No!" He looked dismayed by the thought. "I was just waiting for the right time to tell everyone! I swear I didn't mean to make you think anything like that."

"I know." She trusted him. "Just don't leave me in the dark about important stuff, alright?"

"I'm sorry."

He gave her the same loopy grin he always delivered with his apology as he rubbed the back of his neck and things felt right again. He lowered his head, bowing as told her how sorry he was about the misunderstanding. She was oddly content, but even she knew that what touched her was nothing more than a fleeting happiness.

It was the security of familiarly, the memories she shared with the man before her mostly coming in the form of him graveling and her accepting his apology without even bothering to say she did. It was odd to find joy in such a situation, but it always made her happy because it was a sign.

It was a sign that he loved her.

Reminded, Naru headed for the door with a smile. She was happy. What school he went to didn't matter as long as he loved her. As long as he loved her, she didn't have anything to worry about. "Don't worry about it." She said it out loud, her words directly not only at him but also herself as she took her leave.

Keitaro was happy. Any misunderstand solved without him being launched through a wall was always a good one in his opinion. With that done, he looked down at the bag he left in the middle of the floor, but his eyes ended up on the stray bottle off to the side. "Hmm, she must have forgotten about it."

He didn't know exactly when it happened but he was sure he saw Kitsune slip out the room before Naru even set eyes on her. The landlord found himself chuckling as he bent over to pick up the scotch. He wasn't angry at her. On the contrary, she probably saved him from getting a patented pervert punch since she made an early escape.

One thought gave way to another as he reached for the bag and dragged it to the corner. He probably did deserve to get punched seeing that he completely forgot that he was supposed to go and talk to Naru but never did.

"Finally…" Keitaro let go of the bag with a relieved sigh knowing that he wouldn't have to lift it again for a least a few days. Finished, he decided he'd take a break before he started with the chores but, before he did, he made sure to bring the scotch with him.

0

Shinobu was happy.

The daunting pile of dirty dishes was gone. With the single press of a button she didn't even know existed, they vanished right before her eyes. At first, she was alarmed but the friendly smile Kitsune flashed her promised her everything was alright. The older girl pulled her finger back from the button, the tinge of guilt clouding her smile a little as she looked down at the cook. "I know you like doing chores and all that, but at least you don't have to worry about washing dishes anymore now."

"Did…" She was in awe as the dishwasher started its cycle. "Did you do this, Kitsune?"

"Haha, no." Kitsune returned to her seat at the kitchen table and sat down. "Su made it long time ago and forgot about it. It was just too good a secret to keep to myself."

"I appreciate it, but you should have shown this to sempai first…" She blushed at the thought of him scrubbing the plates so hard that he left scratches in them. "He always works so hard."

"Yeah," The seated woman agreed as she leaned back. "He definitely works harder than he has to…"

"I l-like that part of him." Shinobu moved away from sink and grabbed a towel, but she was lost in thought as she dried her hands. She was happy that she wouldn't have to wash the dishes anymore, but, out of everyone else, Keitaro had the most trouble when it came to chores in the kitchen. It wasn't that he messed things up or because he was naturally clumsy.

It was just because he tried so hard.

He always did things he didn't have to do. He never stopped at what was expected of him. When it came to work ethics, her sempai wouldn't lose to anyone.

My sempai…

She already knew she was blushing, but she could literally feel the heat on her face as she wrapped her mind around her possessiveness. The lingering thought led to a question she wanted to ask her company since last night. It was an opportunity she couldn't squander!

Sapphire locks shifted as nodded to herself, her resolve summoned and the most neutral look mustered as she turned around with the intention of getting some answers. Kitsune caught her expression and brought the legs of her chair back down to the floor. "Is something wrong?"

"N-No…" She cowered, she couldn't as after all. It was too hard, especially when she was deathly afraid of the answer. "I…" But she had to do it! It was for sempai! "I… N-Never mind."

Kitsune gave Shinobu a knowing smile. There weren't many things that could get her so worked up so, given the context of what they were talking about, it wasn't difficult to deduce what was on her mind.

"Don't worry, kid. It wasn't a date." She didn't miss the smile that spread across the girl's face. "I told you I was just going out with a friend, remember? Nothing more than that."

Shinobu nodded in understanding, but she didn't bother listening after she confirmed that it wasn't the date that she feared it was. In hindsight, she felt silly for thinking it could be anything like that. Kitsune and sempai? It was a joke. They just didn't match up like she and sempai did.

On the eve of putting thought into being with her favorite person, she started to feel faint. It'd be too fast! It'd definitely be too much for her, but she already knew she'd enjoy, if not outright love, the experience.

"…slip something into his drink, though. That probably-"

"Do you think he would take me out to dinner?" Shinobu never heard Kitsune's jokes and, honestly, never cared for them in the first place. "Just a friendly dinner…?"

She'd never forget how it felt to be left behind, how it felt to look at the spot where her sempai sat and realize that he wasn't going to be there. She didn't want it to be like that. She didn't want to feel that way. She swore to herself that she wouldn't let it happen again and she almost resigned herself to being in the background a few minutes ago. That was why she was compelled to ask the question she wouldn't have voiced otherwise.

"I don't know, Shinobu." Kitsune chewed on her lip as she weighed her options in her head. It was either she told her that someone else already had her beat or lie just enough to keep her feelings from getting hurt. The choice was easy. "He's been really busy lately so maybe-"

"On second though," Shinobu laughed a bit in a vain attempt to calm her nerves. "I s-should really ask him myself."

One of the things she often took advantage of when it came to Keitaro was his inability to say no. It didn't matter what it was. If it helped them even a little then he was all for it no matter if they asked, threatened, begged, or straight told him to do it. It was a classic case of being too kind of his own good and their landlord was a living example of it.

"Wait!" Kitsune was up before she knew it and moved in front of Shinobu so fast that the younger girl feared she said something wrong. "Hold up, Shinobu. If you want to go out, then we can just do some shopping or something."

She couldn't let her do it.

She knew first hand how it felt to have a crush and even admired the girl for being brave enough to act on it for once, but she couldn't let her ask him. If she asked him to take her out, there was no doubt that he'd do it even though he had other things to be worried about.

Like Motoko.

"I don't want to go shopping." She muttered, envy putting a bitter edge on her reply. "I want to go somewhere with sempai like you did."

"Goddamn it." She wasn't going to let anyone else make the same mistake the swordswoman made. "I just said it wasn't a date, Shinobu. Weren't you listening to me?"

"I know…" The timid girl lost her steam as she realized that Kitsune was standing in her way. "I know you don't like sempai like that, but I was…" She paused, balling up her skirt in her hands as she lowered her sight to the floor. "I was really jealous. A-Are you trying to stop me because of Naru?"

"You better not be using my name in your stupid jokes, Kitsune." Brown hair was the first thing Kitsune saw when she looked over her shoulder and found her friend walking into the kitchen. Naru stopped behind them and put her hand on her hip. "You always tend to forget you're the only one that laughs at—Hey… Shinobu, what's wrong?"

The girl violently shook her head from side to side as both of the girls focused their attention on her. Shinobu quickly wiped at her eyes as frustrated tears started to come.

She didn't want to be around them.

"Nothing!" She cried before rushing past them and bumping into Naru on her way out of the kitchen.

"Shinobu! Wait!" Naru followed her into the hall only to watch her run away. Confusion gave way to anger as she marched back into the kitchen and shot Kitsune a nasty look. "What did you say to upset her this time!?"

"I didn't say nothing!" She was just as surprised that the young cook burst into tears.

"I told you to stop it with those perverted jokes around Shinobu!" Naru reminded her. "You know how she gets when you talk about that stuff!"

"I'm telling you I didn't make any jokes!"

Naru narrowed her eyes, something was extremely wrong if that wasn't the case. "What were you talking about then?" She said slowly as she leveled her gaze at her friend.

Kitsune stood her ground as she smirked. If that was the game she wanted to play then she'd have a little fun with her. It wasn't like she had anything to hide. "She wants to ask him out."

"Like you did, right?"

That threw her for a loop.

"What?"

She honestly wasn't going to bring it up, but the condescending smirk on Kitsune's face irked her to no end. Shinobu was definitely too young for Keitaro so there was no harm in her trying to invite him to dinner, but that didn't apply to her best friend.

Kitsune met the vindictive glare directed at her with a half-hearted smile as her sly grin faded. It was another misconception formed by another one of her friends so she tried to smile in an attempt to remedy the situation with a laugh or two. The look in her friend's eyes promised nothing of the sort. Naru was serious, just as serious as the other girls as she stared her down.

It felt like everyone was against her.

"For the record, he asked me to go." The gray-haired woman was tempted to get a beer out of the refrigerator to calm her nerves, but the first thing she had to do was set things straight. "If I had known everyone would get their panties in a bunch then I wouldn't have went."

"Do you like him?"

"I keep saying that it isn't like-"

"Then stop playing your games." Naru didn't bother listening to the rest of her denial. If she didn't have an active interest in Keitaro then she shouldn't do things that could make him think otherwise. "I don't know what you are trying to do and, frankly, I don't care, but you need to stop, Mitsune."

"Yeah, whatever…" Kitsune waved her off, finished with the conversation as she stormed out of the kitchen. She wouldn't be coming back for dinner. "Baby Mitsune don't want no spankin' so I listen to you Mama Naru."

Naru watched her go with no intention of speaking to her for a good while. There wasn't any definite proof, but there was no doubt that Mitsune was the one who put the crazy idea of art school in his head. Their landlord was anything but impulsive so she must have talked him into it.

In essence, she was trying to talk him into leaving her.

She sighed, she was doing it again. She was always quick to jump to conclusions that couldn't possibly be true. Kitsune was her friend, her best friend at that. If anything, it was good that Keitaro was finally confident about something. It didn't matter where the idea came from. That wasn't even what bothered her.

He confided in Mitsune.

Not only that, but he went out to dinner with her. He was spending time with her and was even in the same room with her when she skipped a cram session to find out what was going on. Had she not been so preoccupied with the issue at hand, she would have decked him for being such an obvious pervert.

"He wasn't being a pervert…" She sighed again as she thought out loud, another ill conclusion reached without knowing all the facts.

Naru took a deep breath before venturing over to the refrigerator and opened it to look for something to drink. She fostered a smile as she found the apple juice she was looking for. She was overreacting. Kitsune didn't have some grandiose plot to take Keitaro from her and she already dispelled any worries she had before she rushed back to cram school.

She was being stupid.

She'd have to apologize to Mitsune later but, as she reached for the juice, she decided it was time. At dinner she was going to be happy for him and, when he announced that he wasn't aiming for Tokyo University anymore, she was going to be the first to congratulate him. After he thanked her, she'd offer to model for him. She already spent the greater part of the evening planning exactly what she was going to do and say during dinner.

By the end of the night, she was going to make certain that she'd be the only person he wanted to share his secrets with.

Continued…

Next chapter:

Sunset

"I need you."


	5. Sunset

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Five

Sunset

"Kitsune…?"

He was quick to knock on the door after switching the hot plate of food to his other hand. While he suspected that she was probably just sleep, there was a chance she didn't feel well and he always took it upon himself to bring the girls dinner if they were ill. It was one of his responsibilities as a landlord to look out for them but, before that, he was a friend.

"Kitsune, are you awake? I got dinner for-" The knuckles he tapped on the door almost hit her on the forehead the moment she slid it aside. "You…"

"Thanks, Keitaro…"

She offered a weak smile in exchange for the food as he handed her the plate. Though she warmly accepted dinner with gratitude and a smile, it wasn't hard for him to sense something was wrong thanks to the absence of her usual tease. It wasn't like her to let such an opportunity slide.

Maybe she really wasn't feeling well?

She motioned to close the door and he blurted out the question before he even thought of how to ask.

"A-Are you alright?"

Kitsune blinked, her hand falling off of the door as she readied a lie. "I…" She didn't like lying to him. "I'm alright…"

"You look kind of tired." Keitaro swallowed hard and hoped she didn't take it the wrong way. "I mean you look like you need some sleep… Um… Ha, I mean…" He paused again, nervous and unsure of himself as he took time to properly voice his thought. "You just look a little under the weather."

"Yeah," Was all she said, the awkward exchange the abrupt aftermath of a shallow inquiry. He was scared he offended her, but he couldn't tell since he was looking down just like she was. "Long day…"

Keitaro nodded as he dug his hands into his pockets. Everyone had days like that, but he had a feeling that he knew what was bothering her. He knew what was wrong but, as promised, he wouldn't help unless she asked for his assistance. That didn't stop him from making reference to it though. "Well, I left that bag in the-"

"It's not that."

She cut him off, the truth coming out before she even thought to say it. It had nothing to do with alcohol. Having something to drink wouldn't have been a bad thing, but that wasn't it at all.

What bothered her was herself. Instinctively, she knew her feelings were hurt. That much she knew, but it was the first time she ever felt so hurt. In being someone that was often misunderstood, she was used to having her feelings trampled on and disregarded, but it was so much different when it came from her friends.

Insults…

She had been made fun of before. She had been called everything from idiot to whore and from witch to things that rhymed with it. Strangers were quick to call her names when she was having her fun, but she didn't care. Her family never held back any words for the underachiever that she was so she took them in stride.

Her friends, the girls that accepted her in spite of knowing how she really was, were people she valued more than the family that alienated her so it only made sense that it was the first time her feelings had truly been hurt. It was the first time they were against her, but there was at least one person who wasn't and…

"Keitaro, I…"

She needed him.

Just for the evening, she needed someone to make her feel good. She needed someone to remind her that she wasn't the scum that everyone always believed she was. Her appetite was gone the moment she left the kitchen, the words her best friend dropped on her playing a role, so it was only natural that she desired something far more than the food she held.

Keitaro smiled from where he stood in the hallway and waited for her to ask anything of him. "What do you need?"

The plate was so hot it felt like it was starting to sear her palm, but it wasn't nearly as hot as the thoughts she conjured up. She wet her lips with the intention of telling and, then, showing him how she felt but the thoughts of her friends plagued her almost as much as his unknowing smile.

"I need…"

She wanted to say it so bad it hurt.

"Hmm?"

"I need…" Kitsune found herself looking down at the curry she held. "I need some chopsticks." She finished lamely.

"Haha… I'm sorry. I had a feeling I forgot something." Keitaro apologized before he turned his back to her and started walking back to the kitchen. "I'll bring you something to drink, too."

Kitsune closed the door behind him and took a seat on the floor. Setting the plate aside, she stretched a little before she laid down. She sighed. Who was she kidding? She didn't need any moral support or anything like that. She never needed anyone before and she still didn't need somebody around to make her feel good. She didn't need any cheerleaders to make her feel better about herself.

If everyone wanted to be mean to her because she did what she wanted then she'd just be mean to them, too. If they wanted to have a shot at Keitaro then she wasn't the one stopping them. It was open season as far as she was concerned. Besides, who was she to hide in her room and seek comfort from someone when she had such a loveable collection of…

"Oh yeah…" Kitsune tilted her head back and stared at the wall. "Damn."

The shelves were down and all the alcohol she collected was gone.

Perhaps she was stupid, not even half as smart as her landlord thought she was. Her recollection was short lived as the door opened to reveal the man that rushed in the room. He tripped over her leg and the only thing she could do was hope it didn't hurt too much when he landed on her. She squeezed her eyes shut and braced for impact but…

Nothing happened.

Confused, she cautiously opened one eye and then the other before looking up. Keitaro looked down at her with a small, but strained smile as he barely regained his balance. "I'm sorry about that…" He took his time retracing his steps so he wouldn't trip again. "I didn't mean to run in without knocking, but I thought you'd be hungry and you left behind the scotch and-"

"You didn't fall."

Her ankle did hurt and she was sure he probably left a mark on her leg, but the single fact that he didn't fall on her was breathtaking. Keitaro, the king of clumsy, stopped himself from having an accident and she witnessed it. She was mystified, amazed at the prospect as he extended his hands towards her.

"Here."

He handed her the chopsticks and was extra careful with the bottle she left behind. She accepted them without thinking, her mind trapped small miracle she saw happened. Deep down, she knew it wasn't the most amazing feat but, then again, Keitaro was the most accident-prone person she had ever met. That was the reason it felt like her jaw was dragging against the floor as she tried to speak.

"You… You didn't fall."

"Ha," Keitaro laughed after she repeated it, the hands he used to give her what she wanted placed on the floor as he thought to take a seat beside her. "We made a deal, remember?"

The tenant blinked and her mind snapped back to their night out, thoughts of jazz and good food drowned out by memories of the deal he proposed with the intention of making her feel better about herself. She blinked again, her eyes finding his as she finally realized the feelings that were obvious all along.

She knew what she wanted to do.

"Hmm," Kitsune hummed as a nice idea came to mind. She lowered her eyes and looked at the scotch he gave her. He was always so kind, but drinking wasn't what she wanted. "Do you want to study with me, Keikei?"

Keitaro shook his head up and down so fast that she thought his glasses would fall off, but his enthusiasm alone was enough to make her feel just as happy. "Right now?" He asked, excited that she posed the one question he had been waiting for since their night out.

He was excited to help her.

Even though he was normally so clumsy, he was trying as hard as he could to honor a deal she never took seriously. He went that far for her, but she didn't even do as much as crack open one of the textbooks he lent her.

That wasn't why she asked, though. That wasn't the reason at all. She agreed to his deal, but she never cared about Tokyo University or even school in general. Kitsune grinned, confusing her landlord as she literally started to laugh out loud. It was amazing. It was amazing how she could go around feeling sorry for herself when he was working so hard to cheer her up.

"Kitsune…?"

That night, she didn't make the deal because she had some latent dream of graduating from some distinguished university. She didn't need to make a name for herself. She didn't need people to compliment her to remain who she was, either. The reason she went out with him wasn't because she just wanted some company.

"Yeah?"

"I was asking if you want to start now…" Keitaro kept his smile, but she could tell her pause made him a little unsure. He was the kind of person that easily lost faith in himself, the kind of man that needed to be reminded that he was loved. "I'll have to go get my notes and…" He started to rub the base of his neck. "I…"

"Keikei," Kitsune hesitated before putting her hand on top of his and the calm that touched her washed away any unease she would have thought came with the contact. "I don't need the notes…"

His new study partner gave him a playful smile, both their worries disappearing when he returned it with one of his own. It was the first step that she never thought she'd take. It was the step she didn't want to take because of her friends, but one she ultimately took because of them. She didn't want to look the other way and keep denying how she really felt.

She wanted to be with him.

"I need you."

0

Dinner was a disaster.

Naru felt like ripping her textbook in half, the crease she put in nearly ever page she turned making her anger evident as she tried to study. She painstakingly slaved over every single detail only for the entire plan to end up ruined before it even started.

Just like he told her he would, Keitaro shared the good news with the girls. Though surprised, everyone seemed to accept it way easier than she did and the explosion of support overshadowed anything she could even think to say. More surprising was that Motoko was the first to compliment him and Shinobu nearly suffered a nosebleed in the process of asking if she could model for his drawings.

She cringed from the sound of paper being torn and looked down to find that she did indeed tear another page out of an expensive book.

That wasn't the worst of it. Right before their landlord excused himself to take dinner to Kitsune, Shinobu stood and demanded more than she asked him to take her out. While she was still recovering from the shock, she caught the way Keitaro and Motoko looked at each other before he agreed to take the younger girl out on the date she always wanted.

It was like he was asking for her permission.

The whole thing was a disaster and it made her so angry that she didn't know what to do with herself. It was alright, though. She could manage, she could always manage so that was what she did. She watched Shinobu leave the table to start preparations for the date that she didn't really deserve. The cook even had the gall to look at her before pushing her seat back under the table, but she was too angry to do anything but smile and congratulate the girl.

She smiled even though Keitaro never heard a single word she wanted to say before he left to take food to someone who was just playing with him. Everyone except him knew she wasn't sick. In fact, she wouldn't be surprised if he did know and decided to bring her dinner regardless. That's just how he was and she was taking advantage of him like she always did.

Somehow, she even found it in her to grin when Motoko graced him with a smile so soft it was easy to forget she carried a weapon at her side. She was usually so serious, so stern, but it was something about the twinkle in her eyes and her dreamy expression that underlined things she didn't want to think about. Something happened. Something big happened between them and she didn't know about it at all. Normally, she just lay him out with an uppercut and be done with it but it was different. She wasn't angry. Not knowing why she smiled at him like that scared her and she needed some questions answered before she could do anything else.

Naru sighed and rose from the heated table. "I can't study like this…"

She stalked over to Liddo-kun. The stuffed doll stared back at her as it rested on top of the hole that led to her landlords' room. Anxious, she pushed it aside and got on her knees. She dipped her head down into his room. "Keitaro?"

He wasn't there.

Honey brown hair dragged across the floor as she lifted her head and crawled away from the hole in the floor. The promise of sharing her break with him was broken all by itself as she left her room in pursuit of the missing landlord.

Stepping out into the hall and wandering down the steps, she started to wonder where he could be until she heard the laughter that drifted out of room to her right. It was Kitsune's room. Miffed by the thought that entered her mind, she wasn't at all hesitant about sliding the door back.

Both of the occupants were in the midst of laughs, Kitsune chuckling while Keitaro at least had the decency to acknowledge her. "Naru?" He was still laughing a little. "Did you need-"

She wasted no time. "Why are you here?"

"I'm helping Kitsune study." He looked down after the interruption and she followed his sight to the formulas he was writing. "Is there something you wanted?"

It was a stupid question. She knew what she wanted all along, but she was just afraid to ask. She already knew she wanted to be with him. She knew it for a long time, but she didn't know what to do. Regardless of her feelings, everyone else knew how he felt about her so…

Like the vixen she was, Kitsune looped her arms around their landlord and pressed herself against him. Instead of the fox she claimed her nickname from, she seemed more like a snake as she coiled herself around his frame. She bared her fangs in the form of contact, the intimacy of her touch alienating the woman that watched from the doorway. "You're so warm, Keikei…" She cooed in his ear, smiling as she used her nickname for him in the presence of his crush.

Why was everyone trying to take him away from her?

Motoko once believed Keitaro to be the worst kind of pervert, the sum of all things evil. It was with that in mind that she declared the right to punish him with or without her sword, but nothing the swordswoman ever said or did cut Naru as much as the smile she gave Keitaro at dinner.

Shinobu thought she loved him, but it was just puppy love. It was a crush that would always be nothing more than what it already was. More than that, Shinobu knew more than most about her dear sempai so surely she knew that he already loved someone else. With that, the thing that bothered her wasn't just that she asked him out, but that she did so believing his heart was in the wrong place.

And Mitsune…

"You have to dumb it down for me, Keikei…" She whispered as she all but claimed a seat in his lap. "I don't get it."

Her best friend…

Keitaro spied Naru out the corner of his eye all the while bracing himself for the punch that would no doubt send him to the hospital. "Ha…" He laughed in a nervous attempt to stop the tension from mounting, but the beads of sweat that appeared on his forehead spoke for him.

Her best friend ignored her.

"Did I do something wrong?" She stepped towards the pair and gave voice to the question that had been bothering her the whole evening. It wasn't a coincidence that so many things went wrong at the same time. It couldn't be. "W-What did I do…?"

Her voice felt like it breaking, seemingly falling apart as she spoke. An errant tear sought to escape so she used the back of her hand to wipe away any that tried the same. She wasn't going to cry. She had to be strong. She had to know what she did to deserve to be treated so badly.

"You didn't do any-" Keitaro rose, the textbook he knocked over falling to the floor as he stood to tell Naru the truth, but the woman that held him pulled him back down. "H-Huh?"

"Don't."

That was all she said. She didn't care if Naru heard or not.

She didn't care anymore.

She was tired of stepping to side for people who didn't appreciate the sacrifices she made. She was tired of giving up on the things she wanted so her friends could be happy. It was something she should have done a long time ago, but, from now on, she was going to do what she wanted to do and didn't care about what anyone else had to say.

Naru angrily blinked out what little tears came as she locked eyes with her former best friend. She knew she should have apologized for what she said in the kitchen, but using Keitaro to get back at her wasn't fair! All that she asked was that she left him alone, but going so far just because of something she didn't even mean to say was more than just wrong.

"Mitsune…" The Tokyo University hopeful spat out her name like it was acid. "You… You…"

Bitch.

The word didn't even come close to describing the harlot Mitsune was. She wasn't shy about using her body to get what she wanted. Though it was disgusting that she flaunted herself around like a whore, she was a grown woman and she made her own choices. It was true that she made her own decisions, but she didn't make any for Keitaro. He didn't have any role to play in her games.

She wouldn't allow it.

Just because she was lonely, just because she was tired of the men she met in skimpy clubs she frequented, didn't mean she could sink her claws into him and drag him down into a world of petty gambling and cheap alcohol.

She wouldn't let it happen.

He wasn't even supposed to be in her room. He wasn't supposed to be flattering the other girls. He wasn't supposed to be going on dates or sharing private smiles with anyone else. He wasn't supposed to be with Mitsune.

He was supposed to be with her.

"Can you leave?" Her antagonist never looked her way. "We are trying to study."

"You…" Naru felt like running across the room and kicking her in the face, but she wasn't stupid. She knew Mitsune was trying to make her angry on purpose. It took a while to realize it, but she was never dumb enough for fall for any of her tricks. "Keitaro," She ignored the girl. "You don't have to study with her. I can-"

Be with you now.

"I can…" She chewed on her lip as she averted her eyes. "I can help you better than she can."

"Um, thanks but…" He initially thought to explain that it was actually Kitsune that was studying, but it was something about the way Naru looked that made it clear she was having trouble with something important. Carefully, he extracted himself from the arms of his study partner and stood. "What's wrong, Naru? If it's important then-"

"Keitaro…"

Somebody cared.

It felt like something heavy rolled off her shoulders, like her spirits were lifted just enough for her to smile at the man that neared her. He cared. He was worried. It was the reason why she made him an offer she usually wouldn't even think to consider.

She smiled as Mitsune looked on from behind him. "We can talk in my room."

"In…" He paled as he recalled what happened the last time he made a visit to her room. "In you room?"

"Yeah." Her smile faded a little as she noticed his apprehension. "Is something wrong?"

Something was very wrong.

Keitaro looked at her, the step he took backwards something that answered her question before he thought to say anything. He was hurt. It was something about her invitation that hurt and he didn't want to know what it was. It wasn't the punch. Naturally, they always hurt no matter if they lacked her usual ferocity or not but that wasn't it.

Breaking and fixing her door, picking splinters out of his back, being called slow… Things like that was nothing. What hurt, what really hurt, was that she hit him when he was trying to do something for her. She turned him down with her fist before he could finish his proposal and didn't think anything of it.

She rejected him.

Again.

Keitaro cleared his throat. "I f-forgot that…" Deep down, he knew there was more to it, but he didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to think about things that made him feel so bad. "I forgot that I… I need to finish mopping. I'm sorry."

"Keitaro?"

That voice…

Naru reached for him for whatever reason, the hand she extended the same one he evaded as he rushed out the door. He left, hoping his excuse was good enough to keep his tenants from following.

"Keitaro!" Naru called after him. "Hey!"

It wasn't.

He started walking faster than before and prayed that she didn't give chase. Before he knew it, he was jogging and then running down the hallway as she called for him. He sped down the steps. His breathing labored, he ran as fast as he possibly could to avoid the confrontation.

"I'm alright." He told himself as he stumbled into an empty room. I'm alright…"

He wasn't.

His back met the door as he slid all the way down to the floor. He tried hard to think about something else, but his thoughts always found a way back to exactly what he didn't want to think about.

"I'm alright…"

Maybe it was him. Maybe he was the one doing things wrong. Maybe he wasn't romantic enough. He was a klutz, the kind of person people didn't even bother to think about when it came to candlelight dinners and the like, but he was sure of at least one thing as he fought to get his breath back.

He was hurt.

It was the fact that lurked in the depths of his heart, the key to the truth that rested there. He never acknowledged it and, just thinking about it, made his eyes sting as he recalled the hand she held out to him.

He couldn't pretend that it didn't bother him anymore. One moment she'd be content with sending him through walls and, the next, she'd be willing to treat him to tea. How was he supposed to be considerate, how was he supposed to act around her, when he never knew what she was thinking?

Keitaro closed his eyes, uncertainty marring his gentle features as he signed. Self-confidence was something he lacked as long as he could remember, but he once summoned enough to tell her how he felt. By telling her, he thought his feelings would reach her. He thought that something would have at least changed between them but nothing did.

She treated him the same except she was started to seem more and more distant. Realization struck him. Maybe what he felt was rejection were her subtle attempts to let him down easy without hurting his feelings. Maybe she was trying to drop hints that she didn't want that kind of relationship and he was too dumb too notice.

"Maybe she just doesn't like me that way…"

It was funny that someone like him would even try to be with someone so far out of his league. Naru was better than him in every possible way so maybe it wasn't so much of her not liking him but more of the fact that she probably never even considered him someone to spend time with in the first place.

If he thought about it that way, then it was easy to understand. If he accepted it that way, then it didn't hurt as much but the ache in his chest wouldn't dull in light of any excuses. The reason, the real reason he felt bad was because he was close to the truth he didn't want to believe. The reason he felt so bad was because he had no choice but accept the fact that no one around him had the heart to point out.

Naru Narusegawa didn't like him.

"I'm… alright…"

0

The commotion she heard, the heavy footfalls floors above, was nearly enough to break her concentration, but she did little more than arch an eyebrow as she meditated. Meditation was her solitary escape, a quiet moment all to herself that she used to evaluate her training. It was a moment taken to think, but that wasn't all she used it for.

Motoko thought back, reflecting on everything she did throughout the day. She remembered her studies and practice was cut short thanks to the flying turtle that chased her from the roof. The curry Shinobu fixed for dinner was just as satisfying as it look and, even though she meditating, she was still preparing for her date.

A date…

Her heart started to race.

A date with a man…

Was it not what she feared? That she would succumb to the same fate that ensnared her sister. Love was something that was best left among family and given to the very best of friends, but people seemed to share it so often that the true meaning of loving someone was lost somewhere between sex and divorce.

He was true to her.

Her concentration faltered so she opened her eyes.

Relationships? The sword at her side would be with her forever and family would always be family, but the same couldn't be said for anything else. That was all she needed to get by, but she wanted more than that. She wanted to someone who understood her, someone other than the family she loved and the friends she lived with.

Keitaro understood her.

He loved her and treated her with the respect she demanded, but he just didn't love her the way she wanted. She knew that he only saw her as a good friend if nothing else, but she could become more than that. The date was an opportunity. It was a chance to cast her in a different light.

She raised her calloused hand in front of her face and frowned. It didn't matter how he saw her since he had already saw more sides of her than anyone else she knew. She was not one of the dainty, little girls that pranced around acting cute and she would never be. She was tough and impassive. She had edges where other girls had curves. She was who she was and that was that. Even if it was for him, changing for the sake of a man was beneath her but…

Motoko lowered her hand and turned to look at the dress she had laid across her futon.

She could compromise.

The rhinestones on the dress seemed to glimmer just a little bit more than before as she stood and walked towards it. She disliked the ruffles snitched in the side and the color wasn't exactly her favorite, but the superficial aspects didn't matter.

The dress wasn't meant to look good. It was just something she needed to cover her flaws and that was all. It was faded and old, but a dress was still a dress and it was the only requirement other than Keitaro. It was just a tool, something akin to make-up, she needed. After she was finished, it'd be thrown back into the closet in the exact same place she found it.

"No." She picked up the dress and held it in front of her. "I can't think like that…"

If she wanted to be with Keitaro, she had to do better than that. She had to do better if she wanted him to be more than her landlord so the dress would become more than just something to wear. Just like her sword, it had to become her friend seeing that it would help her. Indeed, it would become her sword in the absence of her blade and, tomorrow, she would use it.

Continued…

Next chapter:

Arrangements

"That's why you need me."


	6. Arrangements

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Six

Arrangements

Mecha Keitaro version two point six was a vast improvement over point five. Su changed the armor plating, added extra mobility to the joints, gave it some special glasses to further enhance its eyebeams, and even secretly borrowed some clothes from normal Keitaro so it wouldn't have to be naked. Though the rocket launchers gave him a nice boost in firepower, it was the banana detector she installed that she loved the most.

"Su…" Normal Keitaro came to a quick stop in the hallway, the lump in his neck leaving with an audible gulp as he stared at her creation. "W-What is that thing?"

Another feature that was useful was the Keitaro detector she kept from the previous versions, but the real Keitaro didn't look as all that happy about it. Su shrugged, he'd feel better when she told him about the banana detector, but first things came first. "It is my Keitaro!" The princess jumped off the machine's shoulder and lashed out a finger to point at the landlord. "He wants to challenge you!"

Keitaro nodded as he looked the robot up and down. "Um, sure… but where did you get those clothes—Wait! Did you mean challenge as in fight?! I can't fight a-"

Eye beams abruptly shot out and superheated the air to the point he had to drop to the ground just to breathe. Coughing, he looked up just in time to see the trails of fire left in the air and something that was definitely too crazy to be a product of his imagination.

There was a rocket, an actual rocket, heading directly for him.

Keitaro dived to the side, the explosive propelling him down the hallway and halfway down the stairs. He flipped and bounced until he came to land on his feet, but his nimble display of dexterity failed to register in his mind. All he knew was that the robot was behind him and he'd seriously die if he didn't run.

"Don't run normal Keitaro!!" Su, flanked by rocket launchers, yelled at him from where she sat on the robot's shoulders. "Mecha Keitaro just wants a fair fight!" The irony was amazing and so was the damage. The explosions, the gunfire, the cracking of the steps as the robot slowly closed the gap between them… He could hear what was behind him and it only made him run that much faster. He literally ran for his life as he dodged bullets and eyebeams, but the girl that stepped into the carnage had no intention of doing the same.

Motoko drew her sword and neatly divided the robot into pieces all the while taking care not to harm the little genius that rode on top. Su yelped as she fell to the ground and landed in what used to be her greatest creation. Mecha Keitaro version two point six was reduced to scrap in a fraction of the time it took to create it and the real Keitaro was too grateful to care.

"Y-You saved me…" He turned to face his savior, tears of happiness streaking down his face as he bowed. "Thank you, Motoko!"

"You're…" She blushed, her face turning red as she saw how far he bowed. The date they had last night coming to mind as lowered her blade. "You're welcome. You didn't have to bow..."

"You…" Su was on the other side of the emotional spectrum as she sat in what was left of the best thing she ever made. Mecha Keitaro two point six was her favorite, easily the most unique, and it was gone.

"You killed Keitaro…"

Any sort of pride she felt in dispatching the crude imitation vanished as Motoko sheathed her sword and looked down at the tanned girl who aimlessly fished through the cut up parts and destroyed components. She searched for anything salvageable, but it was a search in vain. Everything she picked up was cut.

"Hey," Keitaro waved a hand at the depressed princess. "I'm o-over here, Su. I'm alright."

"Mecha Keitaro wanted to beat you so he could become the real Keitaro." She never once looked his way as she slowly got up and stared at the mess that was once her friend. "I wanted the real Keitaro to play with me…"

A chord was struck inside him and it resonated, the things she said bringing him to a horrible realization. Between drawing and the nights he spent out with the other girls, he didn't pay much, if any, attention to Su and he immediately felt bad for not noticing earlier.

"I'm sorry." He kneeled to get on eye level with her, his smile clouded as he sought to make it up to her at least a bit. "I'll be your Mecha Keitaro, okay?"

She pouted. "Really?

Keitaro nodded, happy to see that she was following him. "Hmm," He thought for a while. "Since I'm Mecha now, do you want Motoko to be the real me? Would that be alright?"

"I know…" Su shook her head and smiled. "I already know that the only the real Keitaro can be the real Keitaro."

That said, having the real Keitaro become Mecha Keitaro was the best thing that could possibly happen. Su beamed as she scampered up his back and onto his shoulders. She was a little sad that she lost Mecha, but she could always make another one. There was only one real Keitaro, though.

"What do you want to do, Su?"

The rambunctious girl settled down in thought. There were so many things she could do with the real Keitaro. She could upgrade him. They could go to space together. He could challenge Mecha-Tama and become the Mecha-King. It was just too hard to decide.

"Su?"

"I know!" She snapped her fingers as the idea came to mind. "Let's make something to eat!"

To his credit, Keitaro retained his smile though his stomach immediately protested with a rumble. Su in the kitchen when Shinobu wasn't around usually equaled him ending up with a stomach ache. She liking making stuff on her own and, when she did, she always tried to share her dishes with her favorite landlord.

Snacks were one thing, though. For her sake, he could endure eating banana chicken pudding or mashed bananas but he had to at least make an effort to dissuade her. "How…" He had to for his stomach. "How about I just make us a few sandwiches?"

"Mecha Keitaro would have helped me cook…"

He couldn't say no when she put it like that. He turned hoping to get some help from the same girl that saved his life, but Motoko paid no heed to his dilemma while she dealt with her own. The tallest tenant, her back to them, stood amongst the remains of the robot and bent to pick up a piece of it.

"I…"

Motoko examined the cut she made. The smooth edge was a testament to her strength; the speed with witch she did it nothing less than absolute mastery. If the destruction of the mechanical menace didn't bother Su so much then she would have been proud she reduced it to nothing more than the joke that it was but…

She had to apologize.

She made a mistake. She didn't have to destroy it. All she had to do was disable it and everything would have been fine, but she wanted to show off in front of him. She wanted him to see what she was capable of and all it did was end up with one of her friends more than likely hating her.

"I'm…" It was always hard to say. "I'm… s-sor—"

"It's okay." His words were just as disarming as his smile. Almost the moment he said it, she was soothed. She was freed from regret, lifted above it by nothing more than his kindness. He always kind, sometimes too much, but he didn't know how much she appreciated it. He didn't know how much she needed it. "Do you want to help us cook?"

Motoko blinked, dropping the chunk of metal she held as he offered her an invitation she accepted before he even made it. She nodded, her heart starting to beat just that much faster as she returned his smile.

He understood her.

As they all headed for the kitchen, the only thing she could think about was their date. It was only because she made an effort to understand him that he was able to understand her. If she never reached out and seriously tried to know him, then he never would have had a reason to do the same.

She used sword against him many more times than she could care to remember without trying to comprehend, without trying to know, and it wasn't until she did that she understood exactly why.

It was because he wasn't concerned about or even scared of her sword. He was the first man to look past it, the first man to look at her as just Motoko and not the swordswoman she really was. It was that slight dissonance, the absurd notion that he thought of her as just a normal person that irked her because that was one thing she could never be.

She couldn't be like other girls.

Her sword, the blade she kept at her side, was the only thing that set her apart. It was the only thing that made her remarkable and it bothered her that he believed she was more than that because it was all she'd ever be. She was just a swordswoman, yet he called her beautiful…

When he called her beautiful it wasn't just because of the way she looked and, when he complimented her, it wasn't because he wanted to take her to his bed. He liked her so he said things like that naturally, never expecting to receive anything in return. He was never the pervert she branded him as. He was the kindest man she ever met and…

"Su!" Keitaro barely managed to catch the onion the girl tried to throw into the sauce. "You don't just throw vegetables in like that!"

"Aww," She whined, sighing as she put the rest of them back on the table. "That means we have to waste time cutting them then…"

"Don't worry." He smiled, the hand he used to pat her on the back the same one he used to gesture to the girl behind them. "We have someone that can help us with that part."

She loved him.

Time passed and she slipped back into her thoughts as the onions were diced, the pasta was boiled, and the sauce was made. It wasn't enough for everyone and it wasn't supposed to be. It was just for them, just enough for three people, but the conversation they had over the food more than made up for their lack of numbers.

Motoko quietly sipped from her tea as Su finished off another plate. She was nervous, but the endless hours of training she adhered to since she was little played a large role in calming her nerves. She raised her head and looked at the man sitting across the table from her. "Keitaro," He looked up from his plate as she lowered the cup from her lips. "D-Do you want to go on another date with me?"

He started to chock and the girl seated next to him was all too happy to slap him as hard as she could on the back in an effort to help him out. It worked. The meatball was expelled from his throat and his glasses fell off, both of them landing squarely in the untouched spaghetti in front of Motoko.

"Ah…" Keitaro and Su watched the sauce splash with a dull splat, some of the red ultimately ending up on the pure white of the gi the swordswoman wore. That alone was reason why both of them were slow to face her. "S-Sorry about that…"

Motoko grabbed a napkin off the table and frowned at the stain. "The date." She reiterated. "Do you want to go with me?"

Relieved that she reached for the cloth instead of her sword, Keitaro visibly relaxed until the meaning of her question dawned on him. "You want to go on a d-date with me?"

"I do." Motoko confirmed before reaching for his glasses and wiping the sauce off of them. "I want to spend more time—No, it's more than that." She smiled as she handed his glasses back to him. "I want to… be with you Keitaro."

"You mean like a real date?" He searched her face for any misunderstanding and failed to find any when she nodded. "Like being like… _that_… with each other?"

"Yes," She grumbled at the feeble way he explained it. "Like _that_."

She knew she was being forward, probably too forward, but it was the only way she knew how to be. Being subtle was never a part of her character and holding onto some kind of hope that he would willingly come to her was fallacy. If she wanted something then she had to go out and get it. If she was being too fast then she didn't mind if he said as much, but she needed him to say something. She needed some kind of answer to work with before her heart exploded in anxiety.

"Motoko…"

The older girl pursed her lips, ready to remind him that she loved him if necessary, but he teetered between wanting to say something and wanting to leave. The scrape of her chair against the floor brought him back to his senses as she stood and both him and Su watched her circle the table.

"Keitaro," She placed a hand, her calloused hand on top of his in a display of private affection even though there was an onlooker right next to him. "I-"

"I'll go." He interrupted, revealing a smile as he looked down at the contact. "I mean, I'll like that. I'll really like that Motoko."

Joy…

It felt like her heart exploded for an entirely different reason as she squeezed the hand under hers. She was happy with the date. Just that much, just going out with him and having a good time was enough to last her for weeks, but it was the first time she could ever recall being so happy.

Instantly, she understood. She understood why couples looked so happy, she understood why her sister got married, and she understood the private smiles she saw her parents share from time to time. Love was a feeling that folded ambition, the kind of joy that made people cast aside things deemed less important in pursuit of it and she finally found out why.

She had someone that loved her.

Rosy thoughts popped into her mind as they stared at each other. Would it be okay to kiss him, to touch him a little more than she did before? Nothing big, she thought, just enough to show him that they were on different terms with each other.

A fork clattered against the plate it was dropped on, the interruption made as Su slid her chair back and stood up. "Let's go play now, Keitaro."

Keitaro blinked and pulled himself away from the adoring eyes of Motoko to look at Su. "I'm sorry, Su. I don't have the time to play anymore." He turned back towards his date intent on explaining the reason to both. "I have to go and fix some of the stairs. I was having so much fun that I almost forgot. I probably got to replace the dry wall, too. Those eye beams were-"

"Can I help?"

"Do you mind if I help?"

Motoko and Su locked eyes, the questions they voiced at the same time failing to include the other. The eldest narrowed her eyes on the eve of saying something to her, but the feeling of Keitaro's hand sliding from under hers stole her attention.

"I'll be alright." He smiled as he got up and pushed his chair under the table. "I appreciate it, but it shouldn't be too much for me to handle alone. Do you two feel like cleaning up in here?"

"Okay," Su agreed, but there was still a question she wanted to ask. "What are you doing after you fix all that stuff?"

"Hmm," Keitaro rubbed his chin as his he thoughtfully looked up at the ceiling. "I always clean the hot springs on Sundays and, after that, I have to…" He risked a look at Motoko. "I promised to take Shinobu out…"

"I'll help you fix the stairs then so you can hurry up and get ready." She held up a hand as he motioned to refuse the offer. "We have school tomorrow so…" A shade of red touched upon her cheeks. "It can't last as long as our date did."

"You're okay with it?" He was slow to ask the question, but the way she smiled at him promised that she was before she even said anything.

"I was there when she asked." Motoko moved towards the door. "It's just Shinobu. She'll understand after I sit her down and talk to her. Keitaro, go and get the spare boards you keep and clean up the table before you forget about it, Su. I'll go assess the damage."

With that, everyone went their separate ways.

Everyone but the tanned girl who silently started to collect the plates left on the table. Instead of the cheerfulness she usually bounced around with, the princess took her time grabbing the dishes and the cup Motoko left behind. Looking down into the still tea, she saw her reflection shaded in amber and sighed.

She wanted to tell him when the next red moon was coming.

0

"I wonder if Grandma got insurance…"

It was an idle thought he brought with him as he ventured into the hot springs with a bucket full of cleaning supplies. After posting the handwritten sign he used to keep the girls from barging in while he was cleaning, he called out into the fog of the outdoor bath praying that he got no response.

He didn't hear anything so he pulled on his latex gloves and walked into the outdoor bath ready to get its weekly maintenance off his mental list of things to do. "Definitely should get some if she didn't."

Talking to himself did make him feel a bit loony, but it helped the hours he spent on chores go by just that much faster. It just so happened that, as he grabbed a sponge out of the bucket and started scrubbing, his thoughts centered on something more serious than wondering how long someone could survive on a diet of watermelons or exactly how Sarah managed to make his shins feel broken just by looking at them.

"I don't think eye beams would be included in the coverage anyway…" He reached for a spray bottle before he started scrubbing the floor again. "Why would something even need eyebeams?"

"Probably because they're cool? Don't you wish you had some?"

"Now that you mention it…" Keitaro dipped the sponge back into the bucket. "I guess they are kind of—Ahh!" He threw the sponge straight up in the air before scrambling to his feet and making a dash for the exit.

He was snatched backwards, the hand that secured his collar enough to keep him from his escape. "That's a real nice way to say hello." Kitsune pulled him back towards her and tossed the sponge she caught back into the bucket. "Especially since you've been avoiding me lately."

It was true.

Yesterday, he had an excuse thanks to his date with Motoko but, since and even before then, he had actively been going out of his way to avoid any unnecessary contact with either Naru or Kitsune. He didn't know how to act around them after what happened the other evening. Though it was honestly hard work sneaking around, he was doing exceptionally well until Kitsune made her appearance.

Kitsune lifted his fogged glasses off of his face and rubbed them on the towel wrapped around her. "You can open your eyes. I'm not naked or anything."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Her smile slipped. "I'm not lying…"

He did as she asked before accepting his glasses back. True to her word, she did indeed have a large bath towel wrapped around her frame. What stood out to him though was her dripping hair and the puddle that collected under her. There was no doubt that she had been in the bath when he entered. "Why didn't you say something? I would have left so you-"

"I was waiting on you." She cut in before stepping closer. "I didn't expect you to get finished so fast, though. I was washing my hair when-"

"Motoko helped me." He blurted it out, his explanation the reason she halted her approach. "If it wasn't for her then I wouldn't be able to take Shinobu out tonight."

With that, his study partner regained her smile.

"You don't have to worry about that anymore."

"Huh?"

"Shinobu," She clarified. "You don't have to go on the date."

His glasses fogged again so he took them off and held them at his side. "What do you mean I don't have to go?"

It was only then that he really saw her, the passing glance he took earlier replaced with the sight before him. She stood wrapped in one of the towels he kept stacked in the changing room, framed by the steam that rose from the hot springs behind her. The damp towel hugged her curves better than the mist ever could, and her trademark smirk defined the mischief she embodied.

She was Kitsune.

She was the woman that became his best friend and…

"I told her about us…" She tilted her head to side, her smile sweet enough to feel like honey on her lips. "I told her that you're my boyfriend now."

She was the woman who sought to become more than that.

"Kitsune… I never… Shinobu…" Keitaro jumbled his words together, the things he wanted to say as muddled as his thoughts. He closed his eyes and, with a deep, calming breath, found the strength to face her. "She was really looking forward to this, Kitsune. We have to go and tell her the truth."

Shinobu…

He neglected to tell about the nights he promised to the other girls only for her to find out at the last minute on both occasions and, even if she tried to act like it didn't bother her, even a dummy like him could tell that it did. She was always trying so hard and she looked so happy when he agreed to take her out.

He moved, his trek to Shinobu's room started the moment he remembered her smile after he said yes. That was all he thought about. He didn't need to think about what would happen later. He liked making them happy. If all it took was a date or even the pretense of one to make any of them that happy then he'd be willing to go on as many dates as they wanted, but the woman behind him didn't share his sentiments at all.

"It's over, Keitaro." She wasn't smiling anymore. "As far as she is concerned, what she heard was the truth. What do you think is going to happen if you keep leading her on?"

"I'm not leading her on!" He protested, turning back around to face the accusation. "If it's what she wants then…."

"Then what? You'll keep going on dates until they get tired of you?" Kitsune closed the distance between them. "What were you going to do when she wanted more than dates? When _they_ wanted more than dates?"

"I…"

He didn't know.

He was boring and never knew what to talk about when he was alone with them but, since he invited Kitsune to dinner, everyone suddenly wanted to go places with him. He wasn't dating material, never even thought of himself as a romantic, but if dates were what they wanted then he was always willing, especially if it made them happy.

"That's why you need me."

She stepped towards him and he unconsciously stepped back. His back met the wall, the distance he gained lost as his girlfriend effectively trapped and advanced on him.

"If you had a girlfriend then all of this would stop, right?"

"I got…" He cleared his throat. "I got a girlfriend. Motoko said she-"

Kitsune slammed her hand down on the wooden frame beside his head, interrupting him as she stared him straight in the eyes. She wasn't going to let him say it. She didn't even want to hear it. "Do you really think she understands you better than I do? Do you think she loves you more than I do?"

Motoko didn't understand him. One fucking date and she walked around Hinata House like a goddamn trophy wife, like she was the best thing to ever happen to Keitaro when the sword she wore at her side told a different story altogether. She didn't care how much miss stuck-up pretended she loved him, she wasn't going to let him get away after she had finally made up her mind.

Faced with her admission, he couldn't do anything but look into the eyes that dared him to say otherwise. He didn't have a choice. The truth was the only thing he could say. "Motoko said she wants to be with me so… I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry?" Kitsune repeated hoarsely. "Y-You…" She realized it, the onset of panic, but she couldn't stop it. "You can't reject me!!" She shook, angry and scared as she yelled in his face. "Please…you…" She was wrecked by sobs, her face hot with anger yet cooled only by the tears that spilled. She fell into him, desperation the only thing that kept her upright as she clung to him.

It wasn't right.

She was the one that was there when he needed somebody. He was the one that told her things no one else ever did. It wasn't fair for her to be sidelined after so much time spent getting to know him better than anyone else she ever met. It was too cruel for another girl to snatch away what they had. More than anything it hurt. It hurt so, with all her heart, she begged.

"Please…" Her voice was small, her figure even smaller as she bowed her head into his chest. She was trembling, terrified of losing what she had so desperately wanted for as long as she could remember. "D-Don't reject me…"

In the span of seconds, she visited the depths of her emotions and soaked in them. She was confused, unable to comprehend how someone else found the place she started to carve for herself in his heart. There were flashes of fury and hate, but, above all, misery was what claimed the woman that pleaded with him not to turn her away.

Rejection…

The word rung a bell in his conscience. It reminded him of the first time he summoned the courage to confess how he really felt for a girl that would never return his affections. It had been six months. Six months and she never mentioned it. Six months and she never said his words back to him.

"Kitsune…" Keitaro said her name, whispering it if only get her attention. She looked up at the mention of it, brown meeting brown as they locked eyes with each other. "I…" He didn't know what to say because he never knew what to say, but her mantra was lost upon his words. She was waiting on him to say something, waiting for him to save her from the hopelessness that was found in her tears. "I…"

"I'm going to kiss you."

If he was going to break her heart, then he had to do it completely. If he pushed her away, she would understand. She'd be heartbroken, but she'd understand. She wouldn't hold it against him, but she was relying on his kindness. For one last time, she needed to take advantage of what he always gave her unconditionally.

Damp strands of gray moved across his face as she angled her head in way so that their lips would catch. Contact felt like a blessing, the touch of her lips on his all she needed to know that she was accepted. Kitsune kissed him, the tears she blinked away filled with a fragile happiness as she started her relationship at the cost of another. She wanted him and, with the seal of her kiss, she had him.

Continued…

Next chapter:

Limerence

"You are! You are… special to me."


	7. Limerence

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Seven

Limerence

Shinobu was childish.

Her room was filled with bright and happy things. From the wallpaper to the tacky figurines she bought to commemorate the first trip she took with her friends, it was all a private delight she indulged in. It was the kind of room a girly girl had with pride and she was the type of girl that liked stuffed animals and cute colors. She loved her room but, at the same time, she couldn't have hated it more.

"I'm glad you're feeling a little better…"

Because he was there.

She didn't want him to see the side of her that collected plushies, the side of her that still loved to read children's books, but her room brought all of it to the forefront. Her room showed him the tiny bra that was hanging out of her hamper. It showed him the crayons she left on her desk. It showed him things she didn't want him to see.

Her room was… her.

The real Shinobu wasn't in the kitchen. Cooking wasn't a talent. It was something she worked hard to perfect, something she honed at the cost of many mistakes. It was by trial-and-error that she managed to get any good, but it wasn't her hobby. It was something she did for other people. It was when she was in her room surrounded by the manufactured dolls with painted smiles and bed sheets with printed patterns that she could be herself.

"I would have made breakfast if I knew you weren't feeling well…" Keitaro never looked up from where he was seated, but she stared at him as he drew. "I would have brought you dinner, too, if I knew you didn't eat, Shinobu."

"Sorry sempai…" She whispered, her voice touching the air like a falling feather. She was tired. She pulled the sheets up to her nose as she turned away from him before looking up at the ceiling. "I… just didn't feel well this morning. I'll be able to make dinner tonight, though."

He lifted his eyes for a second, ready to say something, but opted to stay silent before looking back down. He held his words as the tip of his pencil dragged across the notebook paper he borrowed from her.

He sketched.

Gray crossed lines of blue and gaps of write as he drew the scene in front of him. She moved, somewhat uncomfortable with the attention even though she wanted to be his subject, but he made no mention of it because it didn't matter. When he put pencil to paper, he already knew what he was going to draw and how he was going to draw it.

No…

He knew what he was going to draw, but he never knew what the outcome would be. It was the decisions that he made in the process that determined the end result. It was all about the details he accented, where the shading was applied, the things he omitted… It was intricate, a challenge that he loved almost as much as every drawing he finished.

Bit by bit, Shinobu started to come alive under his hand. Her hair, unruly locks of blue sticking up at odd angles, was rendered in shades of gray and he took care in drawing the animals on her pajamas. With painstaking effort, he drew the dancing tigers and felt rewarded when he looked up to see if they looked like the real thing.

They locked eyes.

Shinobu pursed her lips. She wanted to say something. She wanted to ask him the questions that made her toss and turn all night, but no words came out. Instead of confronting him, she just ended up feeling flustered and stupid as she turned her away again.

"I'll take you if you still want to go."

He whispered it like a secret and, in a way, it was. It meant that he knew she wasn't sick at all. Knowing as much, she threw back the sheets and sat up. The top of her pajamas slipped, exposing more skin than she was comfortable with showing, but she already knew she wasn't his type.

"Sempai," She tugged down on her pajama top in spite of herself, getting it back in place before he looked up again. "I… What about Mitsune?"

Keitaro sighed as she laid her notebook down on his lap before placing the pencil behind his ear. Again, he made and kept eye contact with the tenant. "What about her?"

"She…" Shinobu fiddled with her hands in her lap. "She's your-"

"If you want to go, I'll take you no matter what anyone else says."

She stared at him for a full minute, watching as he reached back for his pencil and started drawing again. He sketched, the sound of scribbling staving off the silence as he submerged himself in art. She knew more than the others that he was a relatively quiet guy, the kind of person that wasn't exactly social even if he did find it easy to make friends.

She liked him because of that.

He was reserved, way more mature than the boys at school, but he was also the kindest person she ever met. It was those qualities that she loved and admired in him more than anyone. Keitaro, her sempai, was the best man in the world for her so for him to say something like that warmed the heart that chilled overnight but…

It still didn't make her forget about his new girlfriend.

She felt betrayed all over again at the thought, but she still wanted to go. She was hurt by the things Mitsune said, but she still liked him. She felt horrible, but she still wanted to be with him.

"I'd like that…"

She said softly as the gentle hands in her lap balled up the sheets. She felt like she got thrown to the side, like her feelings were left on the ground and stepped over in light of someone else, but she still gave him her love. She was trying to connect with him. One more time she put herself out on a limb hoping, not knowing, that she wouldn't be hurt.

Their date was set, but the feelings that surrounded her the first time she made plans were absent. She was far from happy, but it was still time she could spend with him, time that she always wanted more than anyone else. There was some joy in becoming a priority even though she would never come first since Mitsune claimed him.

"How come you didn't ask me to be your girlfriend?"

"Why would you want me to?"

It was a quick exchange. She asked without meaning to and he answered without thinking. The notebook was set aside, the drawing finished before she agreed to go on the date. They stared at each other, emotions muted in response to the things that happened.

She blinked, eyes snapping back towards her covered lap as she replied. "I…" She slowly shook her head before turning back towards him. She was ready to share her feelings. It was already too late, but she had to tell him. She had to make sure he knew so at least the effort she invested wouldn't be wasted. "Sempai, I didn't follow you around because I liked cleaning up. I… I adore you."

His chest tightened, his heart skipping a beat as he looked into her loving eyes and then back towards the notebook. "I appreciate that but…" She wasn't happy, not even in his drawing. "I'm not anything-"

"You are!" She raised her voice, alarming him with the interruption. She knew what he was about to say and she didn't want to hear it. She didn't want to listen to him say that he wasn't special because he was. "You are… special to me."

Keitaro got up and placed the drawing on her bed without uttering a word. Shinobu didn't say anything in return as she looked over the sketch. She accepted the drawing with silence rejection, the fact that he dodged answering her question an answer within itself.

She wouldn't cry.

"Thank…" She smiled as looked at sketch. She was laying in bed with her arm draped over her face in a clumsy attempt to shield her eyes from the light after he had already turned it on. It nice, but it wasn't like his drawings of Mitsune. It wasn't because of him, though. It was because his subject was plain. "Thank you."

She wouldn't cry.

"You're welcome." Keitaro returned her smile as he headed towards the door. "Tell me when you want to go, okay?"

"W-Will do!" She replied with a hiccup in her voice, dabbing at her eyes with her sleeves as she yawned. She was still sleepy. It wasn't surprising considering she barely got any sleep. Her eyes were really itchy though. She must have irritated them with the sleeve of her pajamas.

"Okay…"

He said without turning around, making sure to shut the door behind him as he left.

0

Kitsune stopped leaning on the wall once her boyfriend appeared. "Hey," She greeted him, holding up a hand as he started to walk away from the girl's room. "How is she feeling?"

"I…" Keitaro sighed as he looked over his shoulder at the closed door. "She's alright… I think she'll feel better after getting some rest."

She wasn't alright. In fact, she was far from it. He knew she was crying when he left, but there was nothing he could do. There was nothing he could say knowing that he broke her heart. Knowing that he hurt her like that hurt him just as bad, but there was nothing he could do aside from offer her the date she deserved.

"Yeah," Kitsune nodded as she followed him down the hall. "She'd feel better after sleeping on it, but I told you what would happen if you let them talk you into going on dates."

He stopped in his tracks.

"Kitsune…" He turned around to face his girlfriend, finally feeling the icy glare she leveled at him the moment he left the room. "You eavesdropped on me?"

"Eavesdropped?" She opened her eyes, amused at the way he put it as she neared him. "I wasn't doing anything like that Keikei, but I did catch some of your conversation by mistake."

"I'm taking her out."

Kitsune smiled at him. Was he trying to challenge her? The gray-haired woman tilted her head, chuckling as he his eyebrow started to climb. "No," She said, plunging him deeper into confusion. "You're not going on any dates with her or anyone else, Keitaro. You're my boyfriend now."

"How can you say something like that…?" He sighed as he turned back around. "You saw how happy she was, but now-"

"Don't even try." She was serious, her eyes narrowed as she stared him down. "Don't try to make me the bad guy. I'm not the one that pretended to be ignorant of her feelings."

The front he put up didn't fool her. He knew what Shinobu wanted and he made an effort to keep their relationship at a reasonable level. She was just too young and he wasn't everything she thought he was. It was selfish to deny her, but it was the right thing to do. He didn't ignore her feelings because they scared him. He pretended not to see them for her sake.

"I… I know it sounds mean and I didn't mean to phrase it like that but," Kitsune explained, stopping in front of him before lifting a hand to his face. "We're with each other now…" She whispered with the intention of soothing the wound she made with the things she said. "I know you're sad. Talk to me. Don't just walk-"

"Mitsune…" He grabbed her hand and slowly pulled it from his face. "I don't feel like talking right now."

She wouldn't let him do it.

After all the time she took trying to be with him, she'd be damned if she let them drift apart. She reached out as he turned around and grabbed the shoulder he tried to make cold. He stopped moving, the look he gave her making it easy to see that he meant it when he said he didn't feel like talking.

"Don't… Don't call me Mitsune."

Kitsune…

It was a nickname coined long before she even knew who he was, but it was something that only the closest of friends ever thought to use. She preferred it over her name, but that wasn't the reason she needed it. At a time when even the people she used to think of as friends stopped calling her by her nickname, it was more than important that the man she loved did simply because the use of anything else dared to add distance between them that she didn't ever want to have.

"Kitsune," He corrected himself, but the look on her face didn't go away. "I'm sorry, but I really just feel like being-"

"We can go study or something." He couldn't refuse. "I still have the books you-"

"Please…"

"You promised…" She looked him in the eye, ensnaring him with his own words in an attempt to keep him close because she knew he wouldn't be her boyfriend anymore if she let him go.

She knew their relationship was fragile at best simply because of the shaky grounds it was built on. He was her boyfriend, but she didn't even know if he really considered her his girlfriend. It was a title she claimed and, in fact, stole from someone else. It was wrong. She knew it was wrong, but she needed him more than the other girls. She wanted him more than they did so it was fair no matter how bad it looked. She gave the other girls a chance and she wasn't going to squander hers.

For a long agonizing second, she thought he was going to shrug her hand off and walk away before he spoke. "I like Shinobu, but I never saw her like that…" Keitaro said it without turning around, the hand on his shoulder seeming drawing out the things he wanted to keep to himself. "I always thought of her as something like a sister, so…"

She hugged him, slender arms wrapping around him from behind. He was confiding in her again. Just like that, she forgot about the textbooks strewed about her room. The main reason she liked to study was because she could be with him, but what he was giving her was more significant that some laughs earned from jokes and explanations for his trouble.

She could only help him if he let her and vice versa. She wanted him to depend on her so she could depend on him. She didn't only want to foster a relationship between them, she wanted to nurture it to the point where they could support each other in ways others couldn't.

He was her way up, but he was never a stepping stone and she didn't want him to be. He was a helping hand, someone that wanted to be taken for granted, but he was always slow to ask for help when he needed it. There was no doubt he'd need someone to help him even if he never asked for it and she was the one that wanted to be there. He'd need someone one day so she wouldn't look up or down at him like the other girls did. She looked at him from a distance even though she was close, seeing all of him so he could see all of her.

That was the kind of relationship she wanted.

"I know… That was the reason I went to talk to her, Keitaro." He was vulnerable. She knew from experience that all it took was a few suggestive words and they could be heading to her bed, but that wasn't why she wanted to be with him. "I know I was wrong. I know I said some things I shouldn't have said. Are you mad at me?"

"No." She was relieved, her hug growing a little tighter thanks to his quick response. "It's just that I…" He sighed again. "I wish you didn't do that."

"She's a big girl. She'll be okay and…" Kitsune leaned into him as the tension in the air started to dissipate. "I'm sorry. You know, for being so… clingy."

"It's okay…" He replied before raising his hand to cover hers. "I should be the one apologizing."

"Nope," Kitsune smiled, nuzzling herself against him as she spoke. "I don't want you to apologize to me for the small stuff, but I guess you could make it up by teaching me anatomy."

"That shouldn't be too hard." Keitaro took comfort in the arms looped around his neck, reaching up to touch one of her hands as he spoke. "I'm not a doctor or anything, but I made sure to brush up on my anatomy before submitting my portfolio to any schools. Anything you wanted to know in particular?"

"Hmm?" Kitsune hummed. "Depends on how much skin my Keikei wants to show." His girlfriend started to giggle as he tensed. She could already imagine the look on his face. "I'm kidding Keitaro. C'mon, let's go to my room."

0

Shinobu was uneasy.

"Naru…?"

The young cook shuffled her feet before knocking on the door. In a way, she was glad when she received no response, but she was disappointed at the same time. Though she stood in front of the brand new door waiting for someone to talk to, she would have felt so much better just going back to her room and staying there until dinner time.

Sighing, she raised a hand and tapped her knuckles on the door as softly as she could. She didn't hear anything so she was more than ready to give up until she heard movement from inside.

"Who is it?"

"Um…" She fidgeted, the guarded question making her feel even more nervous than she already was. "It's me. Shinobu."

"Oh…" She didn't open the door. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to talk to you." The younger girl waited, but the door still didn't slide open. "Um, I mean I… Never mind."

"No. What did you want?" Naru repeated the question from the other side of the door.

"I…" Shinobu gulped as she stared at the door. "I got the mail and some letters for sempai came, but-"

"Bills." Naru cut in. "Just go and give them to the pervert. Is that all you wanted to talk about?"

"I guess…" The door never opened and the girl on the other side made it clear that the conversation was over with the lack of a response. "Dinner will be ready in a-"

"Not hungry."

She was tired of it.

If it was any other day, Shinobu wouldn't have even noticed. If she felt just a little better, she wouldn't have cared, but she could almost feel the venom dripping off every word Naru spoke. She was obviously mad, agitated to the point that she didn't want to talk to anyone. She was angry enough to barricade herself in her room, but she wasn't the only one that was mad.

"Don't…" It was always about Naru. When Naru was angry, everyone had better get out of her way. When Naru was sad, everyone was patting her on the back and trying to make everything okay. When Naru didn't know what to do, everyone had advice. "Don't get mad at me because he's not talking to you anymore…"

A slow second passed before what she said registered to both of them. The door opened to reveal the brunette, her eyes wide and her hand seemingly clutching her door hard enough to crack it. Shinobu unconsciously took a step back, intimidated as Naru stepped forward. The older girl stepped into the doorway, the look on her face so dark that it made its own shadows.

"What did you just say?"

It was a question they both knew the answer to, a question she knew she didn't have to answer. She didn't care. The sun didn't rise and set on Naru. She wasn't the only person alive that was angry and she definitely wasn't the only one that was hurt.

Shinobu set her eyes on the woman that loomed over her. She didn't have a reason to be scared. "T-That's what you get for treating him like that!" The fire in her eyes flared as she said what was always on her mind, the truth that no one else dared to tell her. The shorter girl crumpled the envelope she held as she looked Naru in the eyes. "Don't get mad at me for something you did! I was just trying to ask you for help!"

"You…" It was unbelievable. She would have expected nonsense from the bitch or Motoko, but never Shinobu. That was the reason she was a few seconds slower in grabbing her by the collar. Naru pulled her close enough so she could hear every word she whispered, to feel the rage that would have pooled under her if it tangible. "You don't know anything, Shinobu! You don't know anything at all so, when I let you go, you better go somewhere else and do something else before I-"

"I'm tired of it. I'm tired of people treating me like I don't know anything, treating me like I'm a child." Shinobu never looked away, the same eyes that used to admire the girl holding her filled with nothing but contempt. "I do know, though. I know that he's been avoiding you. I know that he doesn't like you anymore."

Shinobu let out a small yelp as she fell and landed on her butt. The brunette who released her didn't offer her any words. Naru was stunned, her mouth agape in shock as the hand she held the girl with slowly fell back to her side. She was hurt, but she recovered just enough to look down in hopes of getting something close to an apology.

There was none.

Silently, another bond started to decay and both of them let it wither. In a single, horrible moment both of them knew if neither of them said anything then they wouldn't be friends anymore.

So they kept their words.

Shinobu silently got to her feet and watched the girl step back into her room and slam the door shut. Though she went back to trying to figure a way to give Keitaro his letter without having to face him, she knew in the back of her mind that she was sad. She lost another person she thought of as a friend, another person that she used to look up to. If Naru wanted to act like that, then she could do it alone. If she wanted to keep thinking she was the only one that was hurt then she could do that alone, too, because it'd be a long time before she ever talked to Naru again.

Continued…

Next chapter:

Push

"I… I thought you were abandoning me."


	8. Push

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Eight

Push

Her sword…

She never had to use it the way she feared she would, but she relied on it all the same. Her sword was something she could depend on. Her sword was always at her side and it was her solitary comfort in the world so it was only natural that with her hands wrapped around the hilt that she found her release.

When she wielded her sword, she drowned herself in the art. She swung it till her shoulders burned and went through the kata until her arms felt like they were going to fall off. She trained until she was out of breath, and then she trained some more.

Her training sessions were harsh, but it was more than just practice for her. It was a time of self-reflection. The motions she went through with her sword in hand were second nature and her mind never drifted even if her thoughts did. She was just as much of a sword as the weapon she held. She was cold and rigid. Sturdy and sharp. Practical and…

"Beautiful…"

That was what he called her.

From anyone else, she would have accepted the compliment with a humble nod and continued on her way, but he was not a liar. He was not the kind of person who said things unless he completely believed in them.

She swung her sword with a renewed vigor, catching her second breath as she thought about her landlord. She knew full well what happened last night. After fixing the steps, she went to talk to Shinobu and the girl broke the news to her in tears.

"Mitsune…"

A dangerous whisper made even more ominous with the sword she held. Again, she brought it down with enough force to divide thoughts. Her clothes fluttered, birds in the distance taking flight as the temperature around her plummeted.

She lied.

The vixen lied right to her face.

All along she was planning to dig her claws into their landlord and she played everyone for a fool. The woman was extremely crafty, Motoko would give her that, but her apparent lack of a conscience was the trait that bothered the swordswoman the most. Mitsune was sly, more conniving than a wolf covered in wool, but what she did was low even at her meager standards. She was…

"Disgusting…"

All she thought about was herself.

The only reason she wanted to be with him was simply because it was convenient. If she was in an ongoing relationship with the landlord then she wouldn't have to worry about rent. She wouldn't have to worry about going to the bars she frequented. She didn't have to go and find men to hustle since all she had to do was sweet talk her new boyfriend into doing whatever she wanted.

She was a disgusting sloth content with being lazy for the rest of her life. She didn't have any goals. The only thing she probably ever strived to do was make Keitaro give her the chance she never deserved in the first place.

She already knew that much and had planned accordingly even going as far as to approach both of them with her suspicions. She had expected the vixen to lie, but Keitaro's presence swayed her.

The sword was given a final swing before sliding back into its sheath and Motoko didn't even bat an eye at the turtle that flew past her and into the sky. She should have grabbed the girl's face and made it meet the steps when she had the chance. If she had known she would have been happy to…

Motoko sighed as she looked at the setting sun from the roof.

She was stronger than Mitsune. There was no doubt about it. She could just walk into her room and beat her up if she felt like it, but it wouldn't change what happened. More than that, violence was… unbecoming of a woman who knew exactly what it meant to use it against someone. She felt ashamed for even entertaining the thought, but the white fury inside her continued to burn.

"I thought I'd find you up here."

"Urashima…?" Motoko looked over her shoulder at him as he walked up to her. "I thought you would be with your girlfriend."

It was just like he expected it would be. As pitiful as it sounded, Motoko always intimidated him on one level or another. The dangerous look she always had in her eyes, her icy tone that always made him hesitate before taking another step, the way her hand oh so casually edged closer to her sword… It was the same Motoko that attacked him for every perceived perverted aggression against any girls in his vicinity. It was the same girl that swore up and down that she'd kill herself before marrying him.

"Motoko… I know you're mad and-"

"Mad?" She spun around, narrowed eyes burrowing into his soul as she took hasty steps in his direction. "You came all the way up here to talk about me being mad when you're the one letting that… harlot have her way with you?! I don't want an apology! I want to know what happened to us, Keitaro!"

"I…" He looked down knowing fully well what he had to say. "I don't know…"

It was the truth.

One moment he was happy with Motoko and, the next, Kitsune was giving him his first real kiss. It all happened so fast, but he had no excuses. He knew since he woke up that he took the easy way out. He came up to the roof to apologize, but she wanted nothing of the sort.

She wanted her boyfriend back.

"She's a liar, Keitaro!" She exclaimed, livid in her anger as she pointed at the man that gave her up in favor of someone who didn't even deserve his time. "I already told you all that she cares about is money! When your bank account is dry all she'll do is move on to her next victim and, after him, the one after that. She's a swindler and you are letting her do what she wants!"

"It's not like that." Keitaro raised his head and looked at her. Though she tried so hard to be impassive, Motoko was just as soft as Shinobu at heart. She was hurt just like the younger girl, both betrayed by a decision he made on the spot not daring to think about the repercussions. "I know she'll get tired of me eventually…" He smiled in spite of the things he said as the sun dropped below the horizon. "I feel like it's just something she's going through. You know, like a phase. After she gets what she wants then everything will go back to being how it was."

"So you're letting her use you?"

"Kind of..." He rubbed the back of his neck as he looked up at the sky. "I want all of you to use me. That's what I'm here for, but it was the first time anyone ever really needed me… I mean anyone can fix doors and stuff, but she needed me so it just happened."

"Are you trying to imply that I didn't need you? That our date didn't mean anything to-"

"Motoko, I love you… more than you think I do."

Her heart skipped a beat and her breath caught up in her throat. He said it. Without any warning, he said something that made her lose herself. Her anger was swept away by the tide of pure emotion that surged inside her and then she remembered.

She was in love with him, too.

"I… I thought you were abandoning me."

She was smiling as she opted to look down. She wanted to jump him and give him a parade of kisses. She wanted to run over and hug him until he turned blue. He was returning her feelings when she needed them the most and she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding when she felt his hand on his shoulder.

"Listen. I kissed her Motoko…"

Ice.

What was warm became cold so fast she felt frozen. For a minute she was completely out of tune with the world. Her problems were her problems, but his problem became hers. She got confused and stayed that way until she had the presence of mind to realize exactly what he just said.

"I don't care about that."

She lied.

"We c-can kiss if you want to…" Motoko volunteered herself, ready to surrender and subject herself to his whims as long as he promised to stay with her forever. "We could do more than that, too."

She felt disgusting.

Her body, her overall appearance was flawed. She wasn't as pretty as the other girls and she knew her demeanor had the ability to instantly ward off any man that showed any kind of interest in her. The notion that she didn't need him was beyond silly because…

"Motoko."

His hand never left her shoulder. He gave her a solid squeeze, a reassuring comfort that told her everything was going to be okay long before he dared to speak his mind. He was smiling, his aura radiating with the kindness he enveloped her in just by being close.

"I'm… Well, I'm kind of flattered, but you don't have to give me anything." She felt disappointed when he removed his hand. The feeling and his touch were gone, but the thought behind the contact remained. "I'm just really sorry about all of this." His smile was gone. "I'm sorry I-"

"If you really love me then apologies are not in order."

He was the only man she could be with.

Keitaro Urashima was the only man she could truly love and the only one she would be able to make a life with. At first she merely tolerated him like she most of his gender, but he understood her. He understood who she really was. He knew why she did the things she did.

He knew how to make her happy.

She closed her eyes in thought before extending a hand and fostering a smile of her own. "I want you to-" She heard something. Someone was there. Someone was watching them. "Show yourself!" She yelled, the hand she held out snatched back to rest on her sword.

"Take it easy…" Kitsune smoothly walked out onto the roof with her hands in the air like she was being held up. "I was just coming up here to get you two. Shinobu said dinner-"

"No more of your lies!" Motoko marched past the landlord. "How long were you there?" She waited for the response that never came. "Tell me how long you were there!"

"Let's just go eat. She said she was-"

"Quiet, Keitaro!"

She gripped the hilt of her sword so tight that her knuckles started to turn white. Seeing the woman made her angry all over again. The way she smirked knowing that she was caught, the eyes she didn't open to see the threat that was in front of her, the way she wore her clothes, the way she held up her hands like she was the victim… All of it annoyed to the point she felt like she was going to explode if she didn't look away.

"How long was I there?" Kitsune echoed the question before answering. "Does it matter? Let's go eat Keikei."

"I'm—Keitaro, stay right where you are!" Motoko yelled, sensing the movement beside her. "I'm asking you how long you were spying on us?"

"Spying?" Kitsune chuckled, angering the younger girl even more with the way she acted. "Why would I do such a thing?" She put her hand on her chest, sighing as she pretended to be sad. "Are you trying to offend me?"

"Mitsune…" Motoko was shaking, her eyebrows low as she gritted her teeth in a lacking effort to keep herself from strangling the woman in front of her. "You…"

"Can you two please stop fighting…" Keitaro stepped between them. "Let's just go and eat dinner. After that, we can just sit down and talk about this. About everything."

"I don't want to talk with her! I don't want to share you with her either!" Motoko stomped towards him before pointing at her antagonist. "You said you loved me so tell her to leave you alone… Tell her to go away!"

"I'm not going anywhere." Kitsune stood her ground as she answered for him. "Keep throwing your temper tantrum if you want, but I came up here to get him and I'm not leaving until he comes with me."

"I don't have time for this." Motoko closed her eyes, the hand that rested on the hilt of her sword returned to her side as she started on her way to the kitchen. "Keitaro, I'll be expecting you after dinner. I'd like to speak to you in—No," She changed her mind after remembering who lived in the room across from him. "Come see me in my room."

The roof felt tranquil again, the lack of the sword and its owner contributing to the peace. Motoko left, but the tension that built stayed behind. Keitaro looked down at the tiles and Kitsune stared off into the distance, both of them wanting to say something but neither knowing exactly what.

Kitsune shifted her weight, the eyes she set on the horizon landing on her boyfriend. "I heard everything."

She eavesdropped on him again, her guilt numbed by the things she heard. Keitaro thought she was going through a phase, he still had feelings for Motoko, and he believed that she was going to get tired of him.

He wasn't shocked, the fact that she knew things he didn't tell her something that didn't surprise him at all.

"Ha… I'm not mad or anything." She wasn't. The truth was that she wasn't all that surprised, either. "I do need you to answer one question for me though." Kitsune took a deep breath before walking up to him and reaching for his hand. She held it, squeezing it before she thought to pose the question she needed to ask. "Keitaro, I… I'm not going to pressure you. I'm not going to cry or anything, either. I just want you to tell me the truth, okay?"

He nodded. "Okay."

"Do you love me?"

It was a simple question, one that only needed a yes or no, but the thought it required made it complex. She wasn't asking him to make her feel better and she wasn't looking for him to give in to her like he did last night. She wanted the truth. She wanted to know how he really felt about her.

"I love you, Kitsune." The worry that clouded her features left so fast it seemed like it was never there. "I love you, but I don't know about us being together like this… I-"

"Shh…" She smiled before putting her finger to his lips. "That's okay. Really, it's okay. I just wanted to make sure before I said anything else. I want you to know that I love you, too. I love you so that's why I'm doing this."

"No, it's not. It's not okay." He pulled her finger from his lips. "It's not fair to Motoko and it's not fair to you, Kitsune. I think we should go back to just being friends."

"Maybe I should just kiss you again."

"Kitsune, I'm serious." Keitaro sighed before he started to rub his temple. "We all need to talk this out so we there won't-"

"Keitaro…" Kitsune kept her smile as stepped backwards. "You're taking this too seriously." She spread her arms out as she spun around, her eyes looking towards the evening sky as she spoke. "At the end of the day, all of us are just trying to be happy. I'm trying to be happy. Motoko is trying to be happy. All of us… except you."

"Huh?"

"You don't want to be with Motoko for real either, do you?" She slowed to a stop, her spinning finished as she turned to face him again. "I'm already happy with this much. I told you how I felt. I asked you to accept me and you did so I'm happy, but I'm worried, too. What are you scared of, Keitaro? You don't really think I'll take advantage of-"

"No…" Keitaro offered a smile for her concern as he shook his head. "I trust you, Kitsune. It's just…" He dropped his head, his small smile fading as he looked at the tiles he stood on. "I'm not anything…" Someone told him not to say something like that so he trailed off, allowing himself to come up with a better way to put it. "I'm happy everyone wants to spend time with me all of a sudden, but I'm here to help all of you so I don't know about this."

"Keitaro…"

The reason he accepted her feelings wasn't because he wanted them. It wasn't because he felt the same way. It was because he cared. He wanted to make her feel better and he did so she would never let him be miserable alone.

"You can still do that, Keitaro. I'm not taking you anywhere, I just want to be with you." She touched him, the side of his face caressed by the hand she held out for him. "Don't tell me I'm too good for you, or something like that… I want you, Keitaro." She was serious, her eyes just as open as her heart as she told him how she felt. "I know I pulled this shit on you at the last minute, but don't think this temporary. Don't think I'm doing this because I'm trying to get back at one or them or something. Know…" She paused, someone that knew her way around words feeling lost as she tried to convey even a fraction of her feelings. "Know that I love you. If you really trust me, believe me when I say that I'm doing this because I love you. Only you."

He didn't know what to say. All he could do was take in what she said and the kiss that followed. The peck she left on his cheek was what she left him with before she turned around.

"Go talk to Motoko after dinner and sort out your feelings." Kitsune smiled at him over her shoulder as she walked away. "For now let's just go and eat, okay?"

Briefly, as he touched the side of his face, he wondered if she knew how much he cared about her. He wondered if Kitsune had any idea of how much he loved her and, as his fingers came into contact with the traces of her kiss, he believed she did.

Keitaro smiled before following her. "Okay."

0

Kitsune watched the resident chef collect the plates from the table and Shinobu made no mention of the attention as she piled the dishes in the sink. They were the only two left in the kitchen. Su left after her third plate, Keitaro and Motoko left together, and Naru didn't even bother to come. Thoughts of the latter came lingered in her mind until she saw Shinobu reach for the dishwashing liquid.

"Did you forget where the button-"

"No." She said it quickly, her back facing the table as she turned on the facet. "I didn't forget. I don't want to use it."

"I can show you again if you forgot." The older girl scooted her chair back and rose from it. "I mean, c'mon, no one likes to wash dishes."

"I do."

"Ha, you can't mean that." She laughed as the sink filled with water. "If you forgot, you forgot. Can't do nothing about that so you don't have to pretend to save face. You know you don't have to do that around me."

She turned off the water. "I didn't forget."

Kitsune moved towards the sink with the intention of reaching over her to press the button behind the facet, but the hands that landed on stomach changed that. With a little strength and a little leverage, Shinobu pushed her away. Kitsune stumbled, frantically taking a quick step back to right her balance before she tripped. She didn't fall, but the fact that she was pushed… The fact that Shinobu was the one that did it spoke louder than anything that would have happened because of it.

"W-What…" She was openly shocked as she looked at the girl. "What the fuck, Shinobu…?"

"I said I didn't forget!" Shinobu turned around, her lip trembling as she stared at the girl that ruined her dreams. She was upset. "Don't treat me like a child and don't, _don't_, act like we are still friends with each other!"

Kitsune looked down at the angry girl with narrowed eyes. "First of all, you—Look," She cut herself off before she said anything rash. Shinobu had the right to be mad. "I know you're mad. I saw the way you hesitated before you gave me my plate. I stayed down here so we can talk about it."

"I don't have anything to talk about with you."

"Don't be like that, Shinobu." Kitsune sighed. "All I want to do is say I'm sorry. What I did to you… What I told to you was wrong. I'm sorry, okay?"

"Kitsune," Just the fact that she said that much gave the older girl reason to smile. Shinobu sighed as well, the slump in her shoulders noted as she listened to the apology. "I am angry…" She admitted before returning to the dishes. "I'm hurt, too. It feels like my heart is going to burst every time I think about sempai…"

"I know how that feels, Shinobu."

"Why did you tell me sempai was with you?" Her anger burned itself out in face of understanding and apparent regret. "You told me that you didn't like him like that… What happened?"

"I love him." Kitsune closed her eyes as she said it, the warmth she felt at the thought a comfort she always took the time to relish. "I can't remember when it started, but I fell in love with him a long time ago. I tried to hide it so Naru could be happy, but I got tired of denying myself what I really wanted."

"I feel the same way…" Shinobu put a plate in the drainer. "You still didn't say why, though."

"I was desperate." Kitsune rested her back against the countertop, her eyes distant as she thought back to the other night. "You saw it too, didn't you? The way Motoko looked when they came back from their date."

Shinobu looked down at her reflection in the soapy water. She remembered the way Motoko laughed as she skipped through the door. It was rare to even see her smile so it wasn't hard to tell that their date went well.

"Shinobu, listen to me." Kitsune waited for her to look over her shoulder. "I was wrong. I'm sorry for patronizing you and I'm sorry for lying to you, but I need you to know something important." The older girl smiled, the hint of hope in her eyes promising that it wasn't bad news. "I want to be happy, but that's not why I'm going this far. I wouldn't even try if I thought he'd be unhappy with me."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Was that supposed to be some kind of condolence? That was supposed to make her feel better because he'd be happy? That was stupid. Making him happy was good, she'd be happy for him, but what was the point if she wasn't happy with him?

Shinobu reached for the towel to dry her hands before pressing the button twice. The clatter of the dishes dropping into the hidden compartment under the sink covered the sound of her footsteps as she began to walk away. "I'm supposed to be okay with it because of that? What about my feelings?"

"Shinobu, I'm not trying-"

"I'm not stupid, Kitsune…" She threw the towel on the table as she walked by it. "You're not friends with Naru anymore, Motoko is angry at you, and Su wouldn't understand. You stayed down here because you wanted to talk to someone, but I'm not your personal cheerleader. I'm not going to pretend to be friends with you after what you did to me."

Words that didn't fit her left her mouth. They were sure and blunt, completely different than unconfident mumbling she did most of the time. She spoke her mind without stuttering or caring about what anyone else thought. Idly, she wondered why she couldn't do it before.

"Whatever you want to happen between you and sempai isn't going to work. He'd be happier with Motoko."

"Shinobu…" Kitsune gasped. The change in her was evident, but her words were still brutal. "How could you?" She knew she was angry, she knew she hurt her but to say something like that just wasn't fair.

The younger girl grinned a little, her eyes downcast as she never stopped walking. The reason she didn't always say what she thought was because she knew she'd hurt feelings, but it didn't matter anymore. If they didn't care about her feelings, then she wouldn't care about theirs. "I guess…" She started as she left the kitchen in search of her sempai. "I guess I just wanted to talk, too."

Continued…

Next chapter:

Parallel

"Why do you love me?"


	9. Parallel

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Nine

Parallel

Her room, Keitaro noted, was just like his.

Aside from the scrolls that hung on the walls and the sword resting on the display, it was a room relatively void of unnecessary expense. She was just like Shinobu in the sense that her room was an accurate representation of her character, but it looked so much like his that he found himself in doubt.

She had a small library of books put away on a shelf in alphabetical order, some of the titles purchased after she fingered through his collection. They had the same brand of computer, the same kind of desk, and the discs she had were the ones he gave her. He stared at the stack of CDs on the floor, tempted to sort through them until their new owner returned with two cups of tea and a question.

"Did you really kiss her?"

"That's the third time you asked me that, Motoko…" Keitaro sighed, the steam rising from the cup she handed him tickling his chin as he spoke. "She didn't seduce me or anything." He set it aside and looked up at the girl who stood over him. "She asked me to be with her and then I kissed her."

"I…" Motoko paused long enough to calm down. It wouldn't do her any good to get angry before they really started talking. "I just want to make sure you're not trying to cover for her." The swordswoman kneeled for a second to place her cup down beside him before standing back up. She walked over to the door and, with a flip of the latch, it was locked. She finally had him to herself. "Let me hear the story one more time."

"I was cleaning up the hot springs." He started, the brown eyes behind his glasses averted as he thought back to the time he betrayed the affections of the girl that listened to him. "Kitsune walked over to where I-"

"Was she naked?"

Danger lurked in the depths of her jade eyes as she posed another loaded question. He shook his head. "N-No…" Kitsune wasn't like that. "She had on one of those bath towels."

Motoko visibly relaxed, refreshed thanks to the immediate relief. Even if Mistune was a lying lush, she still had the kind of body men liked. She had unquestionable faith in Keitaro, but even his integrity could be tested by his choice of study partner. "Keep going."

"She asked me to be with her. Not much after that…"

"Other than the most important part?" Motoko didn't move. She continued to stand over him, the threatening look in her eyes enough to make him cringe. She heard the story before. She knew what happened, but she just wanted to soak in how absurd it was. "_You_ let her do what she wanted. _You_ let her come between us, but _I_ won't allow it." She lifted her head and her eyes automatically found one of the scrolls she kept on the wall. Conviction. "You are letting her run wild, but I refuse to let her encroach on what's important to me."

Mistune was slowly, just slowly but surely, worming her way into his heart. She weaseled her way into a place she didn't have any right to be. She picked off Shinobu with her lies; she obviously did something to Naru, but Motoko was determined not to fall victim to her trickery.

She wasn't going to let Mistune take her place.

"Motoko, the things you say about her aren't true." She blinked, his blatant disregard of what she just said adding extra fuel to a fire that didn't need any. "She's not evil or anything. I know you think-"

The fist that slammed into the wall said otherwise. Motoko was incensed, more than just angry as she glared at him "I know who she is, Keitaro!" Did he even listen to her at all? "Just because she puts on a nice face around you doesn't mean that's who she really is!"

"Who is she then?" She didn't like his tone of voice, but she made no mention of it as he looked down into his tea. "What's so bad about her that you have to say things like that?"

"She's the only one, Keitaro…" Motoko lowered the hand she raised against the wall. She knew he hated hearing negative things about the other girls, but he had to hear the truth even if it hurt. "She is the only one that doesn't go to school or work. You, _you_, even gave her a job by letting her work in the teahouse, but she doesn't even do that. She gambles and extorts money from people. That's how she pays the rent and you know it."

"I don't believe that…"

"That's why we are having this conversation. I don't care if she likes you. She is not the kind of woman you should keep in your company." He immediately looked up at her, stunned that she could say something like that. She sighed as she moved her cup out of the way and sat down next to him. "Keitaro…" She looked him in the eyes. "I know you don't want to hear it, but I'm not going to let her ruin you. I'm not going to let her change the man I love."

She didn't blush.

There was not a flush of red on the impassive face that stared at him. She was serious, deadly serious, about her feelings and about what she'd do to anyone who tried to get in her way.

"You really believe that, don't you?" He watched her nod before he looked away. "I'm saying you shouldn't talk about her that way… If we all just talked to each-"

"You're wrong." Her response was curt, yet her tone was tender as she raised the cup to her lips. "I only say what needs to be heard." Her expression softened into a smile before she took a small sip. "If you want me to stop then I'll stop, but you have to promise me that you won't let her bother you anymore."

"Bother me?" He never thought of her as anything even remotely close to annoying. "Kitsune is one of my friends, Motoko. I-"

"Then stop being friends with her."

She sipped on her tea again, her eyes closed in an effort to avoid the look she knew was on his face as he gasped. She understood, before she even said it, that the entire concept of ending friendships was one that was probably beyond him. He was someone that was always too considerate so, for his sake, she didn't at all mind cutting his ties to the people that took advantage of him.

"I can't do that." Motoko opened her eyes to find him dejected. He was clearly disappointed that she said something so rash. What she didn't expect was the spark of resolve in his eyes, the tenacity that couldn't be denied. It wouldn't be as easy to wrench him away from Mistune as she thought. "No, I won't do something like that."

"Then why do you like her?"

"Why do I…" He thought out loud, his pause the doormat to the thoughts he never dwelled on. He knew he liked Kitsune. He liked all the girls, but he never thought in depth about the reason he did. It wasn't the first time he reflected on his feelings. It was just the first time he allowed it to become more than a passing thought. "Hmm…"

His back pressed into the wall as he leaned into it, his arms crossed as he looked up in thought. He looked at the scroll opposite him, but the giant character written on it was something he didn't commit to mind as his eyes became distant and distracted.

Motoko finished her tea and took to watching him as she, too, posed a similar question to herself. She knew why she loved him. He was the balance she needed in her life and finally found. She didn't have to be the emotionless, immovable swordswoman people thought she was. He didn't always need to think about everyone else. Their date proved as much.

"I love Kitsune because I know who she really is."

Her cup slipped from her hand. She didn't notice that she dropped it. She stared at him, her eyes wide and her mouth open as she sought to calm the temper that flared like wildfire.

Motoko blinked once and then twice, her smile something she used in attempt to defuse the situation she didn't want to have. "W-What did you just say?"

"You asked me why I-" Something chilled him and it wasn't until he turned to face her that he figured out what it was. She was smiling, but it wasn't really a smile at all. "I was saying how I felt about her…"

"You…" She didn't want to be mad. She didn't want to be angry at him for his honesty. She actually appreciated it, but it didn't stop her hand from twitching for the sword that wasn't there. The truth he told her didn't stop the eyes that were wide from becoming strained. What he said turned the smile she forced into the tight-lipped frown she always hated. "You…"

She was so mad she didn't know what to say.

Mistune did it. She got what she wanted and, no matter how hard she tried to stop it from happening, Motoko realized her efforts were in vain. A harlot, a woman corrupted and free of decency, took a righteous place she didn't deserve and that was the sole reason the fire inside her flared like it was doused with oil. Motoko was beside herself in rage that couldn't burn any brighter.

He wasn't the person she was angry at, though.

It was Mistune.

Motoko calmed herself again, the same breathing exercise she applied when she trained used in full force to bring herself under control. She'd be patient. She'd get Mistune. She would definitely get her later, but the important thing was that he didn't know. She wouldn't let him know she was angry.

"What is it…?"

He looked worried, the idea that she had harsh words to say to him one that she wouldn't back up. She was annoyed that he let such a woman take his affections, but she'd fix that soon enough.

"Nothing." She lied on the eve of another question. "Why do you love me?"

Silently, she prayed. She didn't want him to have to take time out to think about it in detail. She didn't want him to use the same answer, either. All she wanted was for him to say something that clearly separated her from the other girls, something that was true to her and true to his heart.

Keitaro smiled and the thump of her heart was so loud she swore he heard it. He scratched the side of his face, his embarrassment easy to note because of the pink on his cheeks. "I know it sounds kind of lame so don't get angry at me, but…" She held her breath. "It's hard to explain. I just feel like we balance each other out."

She wasn't angry anymore.

In fact, it felt like she'd never be mad again.

"Keitaro…"

She had never been so touched in her entire life.

The well of pride that was filled when her father noted her potential, the bounce in her step after they fended off her sister, the way she felt when he responded to her feelings… All of it, everything combined, paled in comparison to the way she felt as she looked at him.

"C-Can you kiss me?"

It was a terribly embarrassing question to ask, but she didn't care anymore. She wanted to be with him. She wanted to be his wife. She wanted to lay with him. She wanted to have his children. She wanted to grow old with him.

She wanted to be happy with him.

Motoko didn't know where her train of thought came from or where it drifted to, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was the man in front of her and she wanted him more than she ever wanted anything in her entire life.

"A-Are you sure…?" He was just as, if not more, embarrassed than she was. "I don't think I'm-"

Motoko pulled him closer. The jolt that nearly snatched his arm out of the socket successfully brought him right where she wanted him to be. His back met the floor hard. The empty cup he drunk from was knocked over and rolled towards its twin. She crawled over him, her hair hanging like a curtain as she looked down at him with undeniable hunger in her eyes.

She wanted Keitaro more than she ever did before.

"Yes," Her voice was lower than a whisper as she shared a private smile with him. "I'm sure. I'm not like her. I'm not going to force you…" She watched his reaction, the slight lift of his eyebrows enough to tell she was spot on with her guess. It was the other way around. Mistune kissed him. She'd get her. She swore she would get her later, but all she cared about at the moment was the man beneath her. "I want you to want to kiss me as much as I want to kiss you."

It was a step.

If she took it, if she took it and the one after it, then things would forever change between them because the significance of a kiss, and especially what she felt show come afterwards, was not something she took lightly. As a fledgling writer and as a girl that intentionally made her affections idle, romance was something that was made out of dreams. It was something nurtured by the physical connection lovers shared. If she did what she really wanted to do with him, she'd be tied to him for the rest of her life and…

That was exactly what she wanted.

"Motoko…"

His voice.

The way he said her name enticed her. It was like he was the first person to ever say it, the first person to ever have a reason to call her by the name she was given. She wanted to hear him say it again. She wanted to hear him say it forever.

"Keitaro…" She replied in kind, prompting him to answer her question.

Her eyes.

The eyes that were always so cold, that were always so guarded, were just as warm as her voice. The murky green he stared into radiated with happiness, the way she seemingly glowed thanks to light above adding to the image as she smiled down at him.

Keitaro, too, understood what it meant to kiss someone. That was why he wanted to make sure, but he was too attracted to her. He could barely think straight with her so close. "We…" He trailed off, another incoherent thought died on his lips as he breathed in her scent.

He wanted to kiss her.

He really wanted to kiss her, but, if he let himself get caught in the moment, he'd be making the very same mistake he made yesterday. He wanted time to make sure what he felt for her wasn't just something spurred by the way she touched him or the look in her eyes.

Even with his hesitation, her smile grew as she slightly shook her head. Locks of hair gently swished across his face with the motion. He used a hand to usher the silky black aside so he could see her face.

"I understand." She did. She was rushing him, but it was for the best. "That's alright so…" She neared him, her lips parted and her beautiful eyes clouded as she slowly brought her face closer to his. "Let me kiss you for now…"

He relaxed under her and her mind took a trip to the stories she wrote. The first thing she was going to do was lick his neck. She was going to watch his reaction before she left a trail of kisses along his jaw and…

Someone knocked.

Her musing was cut short, but concern failed to register in her sultry eyes. She had made it clear at dinner that she didn't want any interruptions. Someone probably just dropped something or bumped into a wall. It didn't matter. What she wanted was not even more than an inch away. "It's locked…" She reminded him just in case, the feel of her breath causing his face to become just as red as hers. "We just have to be quiet."

Someone knocked again.

Motoko tuned it out.

The knocking didn't stop.

"It's probably…" Keitaro turned his head to the side, the potential kiss remaining as such as he looked at the door. He cleared his throat. "It's probably important."

Whoever it was kept knocking.

Annoyed, Motoko shot up. The entire room seemed to recoil from her as she stomped her way to the display. She snatched her sword off the stand before turning on her heel and bringing the full extent of glare on the door. She didn't care. She honestly didn't give a damn who it was, but blood was going to be spilled if it was something stupid.

The soft patter of knocks pestered her with every step until she flipped the latch with shaking hands. She was so angry that she was scared. She was scared she was going to hurt someone so she took a long, deep breath before she opened the door.

Motoko slid the door to the side and Shinobu looked up at her.

She forced another smile, beads of sweat born as she tried as hard as humanly possible to restrain the rage she was tempted to unleash. "H-Hey Shinobu, w-what do you want?"

"I have to talk to sempai." Unfazed by the look the older girl leveled at her, Shinobu leaned to the side to look into the room. She saw him and shifted her eyes up to look at Motoko. "It's important."

"Shinobu," Motoko put her hand on her shoulder. All she needed was a few more minutes, just a few more. "C-Can it wait a little while? I'm trying to… talk to-"

"I'm sorry." Shinobu took her eyes off the girl and watched Keitaro get to his feet. "It's really important."

0

Shinobu was ready.

She thought about it as she cooked, stewed over it as she ate, and contemplated it afterwards. Her plan wasn't a masterstroke or anything close, but it was still a plan and a plan had to be executed.

That was why she was leaning against Motoko's door and listening to everything that went on inside. She'd have no excuse if she was caught, but it wasn't like she cared about getting caught in the first place. She didn't care anymore. If someone saw her, she'd just lie.

"Keitaro… C-Can you kiss me?"

Predictable.

Even Motoko was selfish.

She did all that talk about morals, but, at the end of the day, she didn't care about doing the right thing for real. As long as she got what she wanted, everything was fine. Shinobu bit down on her lip, angry at herself for once trusting the swordswoman that swore she was on her side.

Shinobu pressed her ear into the door, taking extra caution not to make a sound as she listened to the conversation inside. Motoko was just like Kitsune. They both were like Naru. They didn't really care about sempai. They just liked the way he made them feel. Their feelings for him were shallow and self-serving; just vague enough to fool him into thinking they really felt something for him when they clearly didn't.

She backed away from the door and balled her hand into a fist before she started knocking. She wasn't going to let it happen. Even if he didn't want to be with her, she'd protect him. She wouldn't let them use him however they wanted. Sempai wasn't a tool. He was the kindest man she knew and the person she loved the most.

The cook kept knocking, the beat of her tiny fist against the door blocking out the sound from inside. Patiently, she waited until the door slid open to reveal the hypocrite she honestly didn't want to see.

"H-Hey Shinobu," Shinobu looked at the sword Motoko held before looking up at her face. "W-What do you want?"

"I have to talk with sempai." She leaned to the side a little and saw into the room. Some cups were knocked over and the thump she heard made sense when she saw the man she was looking for. Keitaro was laid out in the middle of the room, his head lolled to the side as he looked towards the doorway. They made eye contact. "It's important."

"Shinobu," A hand landed on her shoulder. "C-Can it wait a little while?" Shinobu looked up to face her, ready to watch her lie again so she wasn't surprised when she did. "I'm trying to… talk to-"

"I'm sorry." Shinobu cut in. She didn't have time for nonsense. "It's really important."

"Shinobu…" The hand on her shoulder got a little tighter. "I'm trying to talk with Keitaro. Can you wait?"

"No." The young girl said coolly as she watched the landlord get up and move towards them. "I already said it was important and…" She slapped Motoko's hand off her. "Don't touch me."

"You were looking for me, right?" Keitaro slipped out of the door before Motoko could say anything and made sure to keep a proper amount of space between them. He looked down at the girl. "Did you need something?"

Shinobu nodded, her eyes shifting from the swordswoman that stared at the hand that was slapped away to the man who had no idea how little the girls cared about him. It was alright, though. She'd protect him. She'd make sure they didn't hurt him as long as he let her be a little selfish. Hurting him would hurt her just as much, if not more, but she had to get even. She smiled brightly, tilting her head a little to the side as she faked her usual cheerfulness.

"I want to go on the date tomorrow."

That was the reason?

"C-Congratulations Shinobu…" Motoko smiled even as frustration begged her to draw her sword. Her rage was eclipsed, overshadowed by something even greater. Instead of feeling like she was going to explode, she felt like she was going to die if she didn't do something to capitalize on the chance that was slipping away. "Is t-that all?"

"Not at all…" Shinobu grinned at how anxious Motoko was. She was easy to read. Even sempai, someone that was normally oblivious, inched away from the girl, but that only made it more amusing because she wasn't scared of her. She wasn't scared of anyone anymore. "I have a lot of things I want to talk with him about." She looked Motoko in the eyes. "I wasn't interrupting anything, was I?"

That was it.

"Shinobu! You-"

"I'll be glad to take you out, Shinobu." Keitaro spoke before things could go any further, but she could tell his smile was real. He meant what he said even if he acted to stop them from fighting.

"Sempai…"

Her breath caught in her throat and she could feel tears pricking the corner of her eyes. He fell for it. Motoko wasn't slow. The look on her face alone proved that she had her suspicions, but her sempai trusted her. He believed that she was really back to her usual self. He was happy because she was happy, but the truth was that she was anything but.

She didn't have to go through with her plan.

If she took the letter out of pocket, if she just told him what she knew, then everything would be alright. She shyly reached into her skirt pocket and was ready to give him the crumpled letter until realization dawned on her.

It was too late.

Everything was already in motion. She opened and read a letter clearly addressed to him. She couldn't just hand it to him and make some silly excuse. She already did something wrong so there was no use trying to make it right after the fact.

"We'll have to cut it kind of short since it'll be a school night." He was clearly excited, more than just happy to follow through on his promise to make it up to her. "Other than that, I'll try my best."

Shinobu balled up the letter she held, blinking hard to keep from crying as realized she had no choice but to go along with the plan. She was going to hurt him. She was going to get even with him and he was going to hate her, but the truth was that she'd still love him even if he did.

"Don't cry, Shinobu…" Keitaro looked towards Motoko when the young girl abruptly burst into tears. "I said I'll make it up to you, right?" He hugged her, trying his hardest to comfort her yet only causing her to cry even harder. "I really meant it when I said I'll try my best."

"Sempai…"

Shinobu buried her face into his shirt, one of the buttons pressing into her forehead as cried. She could feel his arms bringing her closer to him, closer to the heart she wanted to tear just a little to make her feel better. After she got even with him, she'd never hurt him again.

"Shinobu… Everything's going to be alright."

She loved him so much.

0

"Should have expected this to happen sooner or later…"

Naru didn't bother to flick on the lights as she walked into the kitchen and headed straight for the refrigerator. She opened it, the slight chill that touched upon her drowned out by the light that covered her face as she examined the contents. She didn't see any leftovers. She didn't see a wrapped up plate with her name on it. She didn't see anything left for her.

They forgot about her.

She quickly suppressed the tide of emotion that threatened to bring her to tears. It'd take more than that to make her cry. Far more. Way more. The brunette rubbed at her eyes before bending at the waist to pick through the few choices she had. Even though the refrigerator was nearly filled with all sorts of food and drink, the truth was that she had no experience when it came to cooking. If there wasn't something already made for her to eat, she made due with a snack and there was no way a candy bar or two would put an end to the hunger that kept her from going to sleep.

"Check the microwave, Naru Naru."

She was too tired to be shocked.

"Su…?" She turned around and found the princess bouncing into the kitchen on top of whatever it was she was riding on. "What—No, why are you still up? It's almost two o'clock in the morning…"

Bemused, the girl stopped bouncing and shot the older girl a look that made it clear she thought it was perfectly normal and acceptable to be awake at such an hour. "What are you talking about, Naru Naru?" Her eyebrows dipped, her expression extra suspicious as she leaned forward and looked from side to side before she spoke. "It's time for the after midnight snack!" The young girl exclaimed in a whisper, a contagious smile coming to her face as she shared her secret.

The brunette listened to the tanned princess and made her way towards to the microwave. With a press of a button, it opened to reveal the dinner she thought she missed. "Thanks, Su." She reached for the plate and the chopsticks on top before turning towards the girl. "I thought…"

Everyone forgot about me.

"I thought that pervert just forgot to bring me my dinner or something…"

"Nope," Su pulled back the hood of her bear pajamas and hopped off her latest creation. She did a fantastic spin in the air before making a perfect landing. "Nothing like that Naru Naru." She made no mention of her athletic feat as she walked over to the table. "Keitaro is really busy! He doesn't even have time to play with me anymore. It's just that I saw Shinobu put it in the microwave so I thought she was going to take it to you. I guess she forgot."

"Shinobu…" Naru pulled back a chair and dropped down into it. "Has she… been different lately?"

"Nope." Su never stopped looking at her plate. "She still cooks good."

Naru snapped the chopsticks apart. "W-What about Keitaro? Has he said anything about me?"

"Nope." Su licked her lips. Shinobu was really, really good at making gyoza even if it didn't have any bananas in it. "He spends a lot of time with Kitsune and Motoko. Can I have two of those dumplings?"

"Yeah…" Naru pushed the plate towards the center of the table and didn't say anything when the princess grabbed four. She didn't even feel that hungry anymore. All she could think about was the same thing she thought about the whole day.

As Su finished off the rest of the dumplings, the girl that watched her eat could only reflect on all the things that went wrong since they got back from the trip they took with Seta. Keitaro avoided her, the other girls outright ignored her, she couldn't study, and cram school was getting busy since the practice exams were coming up soon.

What happened?

Was he mad that she went with Seta? Did she really go overboard when she hit him? Was the real reason he wanted to go to art school because he didn't want to see her? Did he still love her? Was it because she didn't go on a date with him? Did he just get tired of studying with her? Why did he run away from her? Did he hate her?

"Of course not, Naru Naru." Su licked her fingers. "Keitaro doesn't hate you." She slammed her fist down on the table. "He only hates people who try to stop him from being the mecha king!"

"Su…" Naru dragged her hand down her face in stark disbelief, her mouth agape as she peeked between her fingers at the girl seated opposite her. "D-Did you just read my mind?"

"I can't do anything like that." A hearty laugh erupted from the other side of the table. "You just asked me a question so I answered it."

Envy flashed inside her like lightning and it was gone just as fast. She wished she could be as cheerful as Su, but it just wasn't meant to be. Being like the little platinum blond would mean that she wouldn't be unique anymore and Su existed to be different. The person she should strive to be like was none other than herself. The woman she wanted to be was the one she already was. She knew that. The only thing she had to do was be more honest with herself, be more honest with others, but it was just too hard…

"Su, I…" The younger girl stopped her rambunctious laughter in light of the look on Naru's face. "I don't…" She trailed off, apprehension stealing her voice as Su quickly quieted down. "I..." Su wasn't mad at her. Su wasn't trying to take Keitaro away from her. It was okay to talk to her. "I…"

Don't feel well.

"Naru Naru?"

"Su, I don't feel well…"

She said it fast and in one breath, honesty rushing from her like a tidal wave that barely touched the sand Su stood on. The younger girl sprung from her seat, her solution to the problem at hand only a cabinet away. She quickly opened it and grabbed the small bottle of medicine she knew well.

"Here!" She returned to the table with light footsteps as she wrestled to open it. Her smile came back to life when she managed to remove the safety cap. She shook a few capsules out onto the table. "Kitsune told me to take these every time my stomach started to hurt!"

She was so eager to help that Naru could only smile at the misunderstanding. It was nice, though, to see that she didn't change. If nothing else, one person she could count on to stay the same was the girl that rushed to the sink to get her a glass of water, but there was one thing she just so happened to notice.

"When did you start calling me Naru Naru?"

"Well…" Su grinned, the question she was waiting on finally arrived. "If you keep saying someone's name twice then you can make them smile." She placed the glass on the table, her innocent smile more than just dazzling as she looked at the woman to her side. "A long time ago my brother told me it was a good way to cheer someone up."

She understood.

Naru stood, rocking the table and knocking over the cup of water that was placed on it as she moved towards Su. She embraced her without preamble, the tears she suppressed earlier coming back for a completely different reason.

She understood the whole time.

Su was blindsided by the hug, unable to protest as Naru all but collapsed on top of her. She didn't say anything as tears fell on her neck. There was nothing she could say so she responded the best way she could. Small hands found their way and landed on the back of the woman that silently wept.

"Everything…" She found her voice as she pat her on the back. "Everything's going to be alright."

"Su…" Naru sobbed, grasping the shorter girl as tight as she could as she leaned on the only friend she had left. "Thank you." Gratitude brought forth words she rarely said. "Thank you…" She repeated, the support she so desperately needed coming from the person she least expected to get it from. She was glad at least one person didn't abandon her.

"Naru Naru…"

Continued…

Next chapter:

Hurt Me So

"No! You don't get to cry! You don't get to cry, Mistune!"


	10. Hurt Me So

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Ten

Hurt Me So

The supposed-to-be caretaker of the teahouse picked a stray cobweb out of hair before she sat the bucket of soapy water on the floor. Kitsune flicked on the lights, her scowl wrecking havoc on her face as she threw the sponge she held at a table. She missed. The waterlogged sponge hit a chair, flipped, and landed on the floor with a splash.

"Fuck!"

She was pissed.

The Hina Café, the beloved teahouse loved by many, was not the same sanctuary it used to be. Instead of a happy place filled with customers and friends alike, it housed only curses and a frustrated rage. It was rare for her to get so angry that she had to find something to do, but the teahouse was always on her short list. However, procrastinating only led to more procrastinating and, by the time she thought to start cleaning, she didn't feel like doing it anymore until she was forced to do something lest she go crazy.

Kitsune brushed the dust off her shoulder and took a good look around.

The whole place was dirty and her nose wrinkled because of the scent that met her at the entrance. It was a mix of old tea, dust, and decay that hung in the air like noose, the smell itself reminding her the present state of the teahouse was completely her fault. Even though Keitaro insisted, it was clear she wasn't fit for the job. She wasn't as patient or diligent as Haruka so she was doomed to fail before she even made an effort to start. She got tired of being a host and a waitress at the same time, and the men that used to frequent the place never gave her a chance to get settled in. It was a horrible job with shitty customers so she was glad she shut it down before she snapped. Her solitary regret was that she didn't take the time to clean up after she forced the last man out.

"Shit…" Kitsune muttered, faint clouds of dust left in her wake after she picked up the bucket and moved to the closest table. "I told him…" She started, dropping the bucket into the seat of a chair as she fished a rag out of her pocket with her other hand. "I told him not to go on any dates."

The real reason she was angry came to the forefront of her mind as she rolled up her sleeves. "All I asked him to do was sort out how he really felt and he doesn't even think to tell me anything afterwards." She plunged the cloth into the water and snatched it out. "I go out of my damn way trying to make him happy and what do I get…?" She started scrubbing the table as hard as she could. Weeks of dust and grim were lifted with a single swipe, but all she could think about was the man that failed to let her know about his date. "Shit. I don't get shit."

She knew it was unfair to think of it like that, but she didn't care. She didn't feel like trying to be rational because she was angry. It made her mad that he completely ignored everything she said and went off on the date she specifically told him not to take. It hurt that he blew her off like that, but the worst part was that she expected it to happen.

Kitsune dipped the rag in the bucket and moved on. The cloth landed on the table with a soaked slop and she made no mention of the dirty water that splashed on her as she started to scrub again.

She knew it was going to happen.

Shinobu was going to eventually ask him and she knew he was going to accept. She figured it'd be at least a week or two, not the very next day.

"Damn it, Keitaro…"

All she asked him to do was not to go on another date and he didn't listen to her. It was always like that. Whenever she had something important to say, no one wanted to listen to her.

The door shot open and the bell attached to it rung to signal the presence of a new patron, but the glance Kitsune took over her shoulder was enough to confirm what she originally thought. No customer would throw open the door like that and the look on Motoko's face made it apparent that a cup of tea was the last thing on her mind.

The swordswoman calmly entered the establishment. "Mitsune…" She wasn't happy, but she was glad she finally found the woman she spent most of the evening looking for. It was nothing short of luck that she even thought to search in the teahouse. It was the place she least expected to find the woman. "You need to leave." She tightened her grasp on the sword at her side. "Now."

Motoko wasted no time with a greeting and pleasantries were something she refused to waste on someone that constantly undermined her. She slowed her gait, the steps she took just as controlled as the temper that she managed to tame. She was ready to put Mitsune in her place, but she had to at least make some kind of attempt to make her leave first.

"Look…" Kitsune didn't stop cleaning. She spoke with her back facing the taller girl. "I _really_ don't feel like talking to anyone right now." She dipped the rag back into the bucket and looked over her shoulder as she wiped, her trademark grin absent as she glared at the girl behind her. "Go wave your sword around or something."

"Let me rephrase what I said." Motoko stepped on the sponge on her way towards the woman she hated. "I'm saying you better leave before I hurt you."

She was glad she found Mitsune, but she was grateful that the woman thought to come to the teahouse in the first place. While it wasn't quite far from Hina House, she was sure no one would be able to hear anything and it had been months since anyone thought to visit. It wasn't like she was planning on doing anything wrong, though. She was just thankful to have luck on her side for once.

"Okay then…" Kitsune tossed the rag back into the bucket and turned to face the threat. "Let me be straight with you, Motoko. I haven't had a drink in damn near a week and I'm not feeling very nice right now so you better go somewhere else before I get angry enough to say some stuff that I _really_ want to say to you."

Motoko pushed aside a table with ease and didn't stop to watch it fall over. It broke one of the three chairs it took down with it, but she didn't care. She made space for the vixen to fall unobstructed and she would lay her out next if she said the wrong thing. "Mitsune…" She nearly growled as she moved ever closer to her antagonist. "Say what you want…" All she needed was a reason. She wanted one. A threat, an insult… It didn't matter what it was. "No, please tell me what you really want to say."

"You're disgusting."

That was a little surprising coming from her.

"Oh?"

"You remember that, don't you?" Kitsune smirked as she pulled off her latex gloves. "You are disgusting, Motoko. You're mad because you think I'm standing between you and Keitaro. You think I'm in your way so you don't really want me to leave. I know you want to fight." She dropped the gloves on the floor, the contrast between the canary yellow and dusty brown ignored as she looked the swordswoman in the eyes. "That's why you're disgusting. You turn your nose up at me thinking I'm scum and then walk around like you're the best thing that ever came to Hina House. You're not any better than anyone that lives there."

"You're almost right." Motoko stretched out her arm and laid her sword down on a table as she walked by it. "I do believe you are trying as hard as you can to take Keitaro away from me. Aside from that, I don't care about how you feel or what you think about me. The truth of the matter is that I know what happened. He…" She closed her eyes, sucking in a breath and silently counting down to zero before she spoke again. "He told me what you did to him. That's why I want you to leave. I'm praying that you leave before I get over there because I was not lying when I said I would hurt you."

"You think I'm scared of you?"

"No," Motoko never stopped moving closer to her. "Just be scared of what I'm going to do to you."

"Really? I don't think you have it in you." Kitsune grinned though no humor was in her eyes as she pulled a chair to the side and out of the way. "You don't have it in you to hit me. I want you to though. I want you to hit me just as hard as you used to hit him."

"You… bitch…" Hearing that from someone who was just as guilty made it feel like she was on fire. Pure hatred was the sole reason the anger she restrained started to flare again. She thought she could talk like that just because she never raised her hand against him? Did she forget she never lifted a hand to stop him from being hurt? Did she forget about the way she used to laugh at him? She was honestly making an effort to get the woman to leave, but if want to talk like that then she had no problem giving her a black eye.

"No, that's not right!" Kitsune boldly stepped forward, testing the girl before her as she spoke. "You're supposed to call me a pervert. As a matter of fact, you should go back and get your sword so you-"

"Shut up!" Her blood boiled as she stopped right in front of Mitsune and reeled her fist back. Forget a black eye. She was going to make her chock on her own teeth. "_Shut up_!"

A hand wrapped around her wrist before she could throw the punch and Kitsune laughed in her face. "You think I can't tell!" She was livid. She longed to tell the girl how easy it was to see through her. "You think I don't know you're trying to make up for how you treated him before-"

It felt like a bus crashed into her stomach and all words died on impact. Mistune coughed, gagging in hopes of catching the breath that was knocked out of her. Motoko withdrew her hand and let her fall to the floor with a ghost of a smile on her face. It felt good. She stood over her, relishing in the feeling of watching her struggle to keep from throwing up her lunch.

"I'm not Naru." Motoko stood in place like a tower, looming over Mitsune with uncaring eyes as she watched her vomit. "I know I hurt him. I know I made some—No," She corrected herself. "I made a lot of mistakes, but don't think for a second that I'm using him to make myself feel better. I love Keitaro."

Kitsune hacked up the contents of her stomach and Motoko said nothing as she suffered. She didn't feel any pity or sympathy for someone that lived the way she did.

"Your legs feel like sandbags and your head feels like it's filled with cotton…" Motoko explained the feeling, knowing perfectly well how it felt to get hit like that thanks to countless days spent in a dojo. So, with eyes the regarded Mitsune with heavy contempt, she choked down what emotion ebbed away at her. She didn't want to feel anything for someone she hated. Instead of feeling bad, she wanted to laugh at the woman that spent her time with jokes and alcohol, but there was no amusement to be found as Mitsune fell back into the mess she made.

It simply wasn't funny.

It wasn't supposed to be funny, though. She didn't hit her so she could laugh in her face or ridicule her for vomiting.

It was punishment.

The reason she hit her as hard as she could was because she needed to be punished.

"You're lucky you vomited." Motoko kneeled to get a better look. "Dry heaving would have been—No!" She saw it. She stopped mid sentence and reached down to grasp fistfuls of gray. "You don't get to cry!" She yelled into her face, tears starting to build in her own eyes as the emotions she suppressed started to stir. "You don't get to cry, Mitsune!"

She couldn't begin to understand how it made her feel to hit someone else.

By even entertaining the thought of harming Mitsune, she disgraced herself but actually going through with it tore down every single thing she stood for and trampled over everything she held sacred. She threw away the rules she lived by and hit the woman in spite of them.

Kitsune didn't say anything as she wept, but her eyes bore into the girl that held her by the hair. She leveled her gaze up at Motoko, her eyes void of any of the anger that possessed her earlier. All the dark brown retained were a muted sorrow, a sadness that couldn't be couldn't be conveyed through words, but the glint in her eyes still managed to ask the question that was on both their minds.

How did things go so… wrong?

"No…" Motoko let go of her on sight of the expression and unfiltered horror scrapped away a piece of her heart as she slowly backed away. "I'm… No…" She didn't know what to say. "It's…"

She tried to say something, anything to make it known that she wasn't the one that was wrong. Her sight fell and she locked eyes with Mitsune again. The look on her face sent daggers into the heart that swore to destroy all evil. Motoko quickly found that there was nothing she could say to make Mitsune understand how she really felt.

She had to get away.

Motoko turned around before she stood up, almost tripping until she righted her balance and ran. She left her sword and her tears in her haste, the morals the preached crumbling with every step she took towards and out of the door.

Kitsune watched her go from where she laid and made no attempt to stop her. She rolled on her side, grimacing as she wiped away her tears. Idly, she wondered if she got what she deserved for calling what she thought was a bluff, and thoughts of the girl that ran off quickly occupied her mind.

It wasn't until she looked her in the eyes and noticed that she, too, was crying that she remembered that, before anything else, Motoko was her friend. They always had their differences, but Motoko was one of her only friends. It hurt—more than getting punched in the stomach—that they came to the point of seriously fighting with each other, but the truly sad part was that she only thought to realize everything after the fact.

She would have stayed right where she way, engaged in her thoughts, without even trying to move if the phone in the back didn't start to ring. She ignored it. It kept ringing. She sighed, winching as she took a deep breath. She had to at least try to answer it.

With thoughts of her friends and the pain in midsection plaguing her, she tried her best to stand without doubling over. She did. The pain that assaulted her forced her to grab hold of a table to keep upright and another wave of nausea hit her again. She endured long enough to stagger to the back of the teahouse.

The phone was still ringing.

She half expected it to stop as she closed her eyes in an effort to lessen the dizziness she experienced. It was probably important. It could probably be Haruka calling to check up on the shop or Grandma Hina trying to get in contact with someone since Keitaro was out.

Kitsune cleared her throat and used the back of hand to wipe at her mouth before taking a second to calm herself down. It felt like there was a hole in her waist and she needed to sit down before she got sick again, but she felt compelled to answer the phone. She had to at least do one of the duties she was charged with.

So she answered.

0

Shinobu was quiet.

Though the restaurant was lively and upbeat, the conversation and music around her only served to feel like a prison to someone that wasn't happy at all. The sad thing was that the place was honestly beautiful. It was filled with creamy whites and light browns, neutral colors complimenting the Victorian style she always loved, but all she could do was sulk.

Dark blue bangs covered her eyes as she stared down at the half finished plate of food in front of her. It was good, way better than anything she could make by herself, but she wasn't in the mood to eat.

She felt uncomfortable and out of place.

She was underdressed for the occasion. Instead of some kind of dress or gown, she was in her school uniform. The worst part about it was that she did have a dress, one that almost looked like the one Kitsune wore, but the similarity ended there. She couldn't fill out her dress. She was short, flat-chested, and lacked any sort of curves. It was ironic that in trying to escape the very people that made her feel so much like a kid, she came to realize how much of one she really was thanks to all the adults around her.

"I didn't know you were still so shy in public."

"I… just don't have anything to say." She placed her fork down on the table, her face souring as she saw the cup of juice she refused to touch. It wasn't like she wanted some wine, but they could have gave her something a little less… childish. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright." Though she was ashamed of herself, she was still in awe of the man that sat on the other side of the table. He didn't look out of place. Dressed in one of his suits, he looked more like the other men seated around them. It wasn't because of the suit, though. She always thought he looked good, too good to be wasting his time on someone that couldn't even think of anything to talk about. "You don't mind if I ask you a question or two do you?"

She expected him to be like her when it came to the concept of dating, but she was blissfully surprised to find out he was a natural. Without even trying, he said the right things without missing a beat and he was already someone she thought was handsome. He was always a diamond in the rough. It was just bad luck that he caught the eye of the other girls.

"N-Not at all…" Shinobu lifted her eyes to look at him and saw the smile that was waiting on her. She forgot about the things that made her insecure. She smiled in anticipation, anxious to hear the question he wanted to ask. "What is it?"

Keitaro scratched the side of his face a little, she knew it meant he was apprehensive. It was going to be a difficult question, but his smile promised it would be anything too personal. "It's about your plushy collection…"

Shinobu almost screamed in embarrassment. He saw her plush plush family! "You…" She gulped hard, blood rushing to her face as she realized that she couldn't just pretend she didn't know what he was talking about. "Sempai…" She squirmed in her seat, clearly uncomfortable with the subject. "I didn't want you to know about something like that. It's… too embarrassing!"

He laughed, calming her nerves as a waitress walked past the table. "I don't think it's embarrassing at all. I think it's cute… I just never knew that you collected something like that."

He thought she was cute.

"It's because I… I always get one on important days." Shinobu twiddled her thumbs together in her lap, her blush conquering the rest of her face as she spoke. "They're something I use to remind of special days, t-to remind me of days like this…"

"I'm glad this means that much to you." He nodded, pausing to push his glasses back up before he spoke again. "I hope your collection gets way bigger if that's the case." For her to have that many meant she had a lot of precious memories and the thought of her standing on the tip of her toes to put them on the shelves left a fond smile on his face. "I wanted to draw it…" His smile faded a little as another thought came to mind. "Do you mind if I draw the collection? It's hard to explain but I liked the feelings I got from looking at it. I just didn't want to ask you… then."

Then was yesterday, the morning he stepped into her room for the very first time without invitation. He tried to cheer her up. Her sempai went out of his way to make her feel better so she didn't have the heart to tell him he only ended up making her feel worse.

"I don't mind…" The mood changed and she flowed with it. "Sempai," Shinobu wet her lips. She was thirsty, but she wasn't going to drink the juice. Not in front of him. "Would you like me if I was older? If I…" The thought by itself made her ill, but she was compelled to ask. "Would you like me if I hit you?"

The memory of how she felt prompted the questions she never wanted to ask, the questions she never wanted answered. Was it wrong, she wondered, to ask him something so unfair?

He was troubled by the question, but he made no attempt to wave her off. Sempai always took her seriously. He always treated her like an adult, like a real woman, so she always took what he had to say seriously as well. A part of her noticed that he wasn't smiling anymore, another torn when their eyes met and she saw the feelings etched in their depths.

"I already like you, Shinobu." Keitaro looked deep into her eyes. "Just because Motoko and Naru are like that doesn't mean that you have to be like them." He laughed a little to lighten the atmosphere, but his grin was more out of place than she was. "That's just how they are…"

It was a dumb question.

She knew more than anyone else that he hated violence and that he didn't like being hurt. He was kind and soft at heart, the kind of man that couldn't stand the thought of hurting someone else so it was more than just dumb to ask him a question like that.

It was cruel.

He didn't outright say it, but she could tell by the look in his eyes that he feared she made the worst misunderstanding possible. He was scared that she thought hitting someone was okay.

"Sempai, I-"

"I love you the way you are." Keitaro continued, completely missing her quiet attempt to speak thanks to the incessant chatter around them. "Ha," He laughed again, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked back up with a smile. The doubt in his eyes vanished along with the concern that clouded his expression. "I don't know how I'd feel if things were different, but don't you think the important thing is how I feel about you now? The Shinobu I know now is…" He stopped to clear his throat, embarrassment written across his face as he spoke. "The Shinobu I know is my role model."

"R-Role model…?"

"Yup," He beamed before taking a sip of wine. "You're the one I want to be like. Sometimes I feel like I should be calling you sempai."

"Y-You don't have to do anything like that!" Shinobu felt dizzy and flustered. He said something that made her feel hot, but she still wouldn't touch the juice. "I'm not…"

"You are." Keitaro winked and lifted her above the clot of her feelings with nothing more than his smile. "You are a very special person to me, Shinobu."

In the midst of her happiness, she made an observation that made her sad. "You've been around Kitsune a lot…"

She was having an obvious effect on him.

The person sitting across from her was definitely her sempai, but it wasn't the sempai she knew. Instead of a different side, it was a different shade of Keitaro. It was the contrast between what she did and didn't know about him creating the ambience that surrounded them. It wasn't because of the setting or the other people. It was the same harmony that Kitsune possessed, something Keitaro picked up by just being around her more than necessary.

She hated that.

Shinobu hated that he was changing.

"Yeah, she's way better at studying than-"

She didn't want to hear anything about her.

"Sempai…" It was time, she decided, to show him why she took him up on his offer. "I have something to give you."

"Um, okay?" He leaned forward to see what she pulled out her pocket. "Is that it?"

Shinobu laid the letter on the table and smoothed it out before reaching over the table to hand it to him. When he lowered his eyes to scan the details, she was quick to take the chance to look away. She didn't want to see his reaction.

"Keitaro," She used his name on purpose, mentally preparing herself for the disdain she'd face. There was no doubt that he would hate her for what she did. "That letter is from one of the schools you applied for…" She spoke as he read. "At the bottom it says that-"

He placed the letter back on the table. "That I got a portfolio review at six, right?"

"You…" Something shook inside her and Shinobu looked up in disbelief. "You knew?"

"Ha," He smiled at her and her heart broke all over again. "A man called this morning to make sure I got the letter and told me about the appointment when I said I didn't receive anything."

"Sempai…" She was overcome with emotion, her eyes watering as she took a quick look at the clock on the wall. It was twenty minutes after eight. "Why? Why did you come?"

"I know you were mad at me, Shinobu." The landlord didn't lose his smile though it was a tainted by a twinge of sadness as he waved towards the waiter for the bill. "I stood around and let your feelings get hurt. I would have been more worried if you were okay with it…" He pulled a few bills from his wallet to leave for the tip. "I'm really sorry everything happened the-"

"No…" She wept quietly, her tears spilling on the tablecloth as she realized just how wrong everything was. "You have to call them back. You have to call them and-"

"I wasn't going to set something up behind your back when you wanted me to miss it." Keitaro rose from his seat and rounded the table to stand behind the girl. "I probably made a bad impression with the no show, but I'll figure something out if they don't want to schedule another appointment. It's not the only school in Japan."

Shinobu shook, misery superimposing on her reality as she realized the significance of what she did. She intentionally stood in the way of his dreams and, albeit temporarily, managed to derail them. That, by itself, was ten times worse than anything the other girls ever did, but that he allowed her to do so made it even worse.

She wanted to run. She needed to get away, but the hands that landed on her shoulders kept her in place. "Let's go home, okay?" He didn't know how much his kindness hurt. "You can get ready for school tomorrow. I'll cook dinner when-"

"It's not okay…" Her voice was small as she stood from the chair she slid back. With one swift motion, she wiped the tears from her eyes as she stated the obvious. "It's not okay, sempai."

It was cold, the food was overpriced, the men at the table behind them kept sneaking looks at her, and she was thirsty. Her first date was horrible because she ruined it the very moment she asked for it. It wouldn't be too far off to say it was one of the worst days of her life.

It had to be karma.

"Is your sister alright, sir?" The waiter placed the bill on the table as he asked the question, but his eyes never left the tip Keitaro put on the table.

Keitaro laughed a little and the comfort of his caring hands left her shoulders. "She's fine." He preferred to avoid another awkward explanation as he looked down at his tenant. "She's just ready to go. I pay at the front, right?"

The man nodded before collecting the plates and Keitaro held out a hand for Shinobu. She stared at it before looking up at his smile. It was gentle, just as kind as it always.

"I'm not mad." Her sempai reached down to take hold of her hand and didn't let go as he led the way. "If it comes to choosing between you or school then you know I'll always pick you, Shinobu. I don't mind doing things like this if you need to know how much I care about you."

"Is…" She looked down at their joined hands as she broke her tentative silence. "Is this why Naru calls you an idiot?"

"Hmm," They stopped in front of the register and Keitaro reached into his pocket for a few bills. "I really don't know why she says a lot of stuff, but I guess so." He didn't let go of her hand. "Just having good intentions don't mean much when I make the people important to me sad."

She bowed her head in shame as he paid the bill.

That didn't make him an idiot at all. Working hard for the people he cared about didn't make him silly or stupid even if he did make mistakes. If there was any complaint she had about his character, it rested with the hand that was wrapped around hers.

He was too kind.

They were moving again and, before she knew it, they were outside. The autumn wind ruffled her clothes as they walked and she used her hand to keep her skirt from swaying. It was a pretty night and it honestly felt better outside than it did inside the restaurant. Shinobu looked up at the stars as they walked hand in hand, but the feelings that shook her never left. They were merely soothed, calmed by the presence of the man that tried his best to wave down a taxi.

Shinobu watched him, wondering if he knew how much she loved him. She quietly watched him fail time after time, but the only thing she could think about was the hand that never let her go. She looked down at the union of their hands and only thought to look up with she sensed him looking at her.

"C'mon Shinobu, you have to help too!" He smiled down at her as he loosened his tie. "They always speed up when they see me for some reason."

"It's because you're too excited, sempai…" Shinobu wanted him to be angry at her for what she did to him, but, deep down, she was more than glad he didn't hate her. She forced a small smile as she turned to look down the street. They'd have to wait a while for another one to come. "You probably make them nervous…"

"Ah, you should have told me. I was wondering why so many passed us by the first—Wait…" Keitaro pushed his glasses back up to the bridge of his nose as he did a double take. "Is t-that Kitsune…?"

Confused, Shinobu quickly turned to look at her sempai and followed his line of sight across the street. True enough, a woman that looked remarkably similar to the Kitsune slowly walked down the sidewalk. She was slouched over, grimacing as she paced herself. "Sempai, she looks like she's hu—Oh…"

Keitaro had already let go of her hand.

He was across the street before she started talking.

He left her behind.

Again.

A terrible jealously struck her as she watched him go the aid of the woman he probably didn't even know, but the urgency he moved with only served to underline how he really felt about the alcoholic. With only a passing glance to make sure a car wouldn't hit her, Shinobu numbly crossed the street and took a better look at the girl he helped to the sidewalk.

It was Kitsune.

"…called. You… You got to… call… the school."

Shinobu brought a shaking hand over her mouth, her jealously gone as the older girl tried as hard as she could to say something. There was no mistaking it after hearing her voice. It was definitely Kitsune, but it looked like she got into a fight. Her hair was disheveled and messy, whatever it was that was matted to the side of it undoubtedly nasty looking. Her clothes were dirty. Her jeans and the apron Shinobu had never seen her wear before were stained with grim that could only come from falling. Her shoes, the same tennis shoes she bought the other day, were caked with clumps of mud.

Keitaro patiently stroked her hair, the gentle touch of his hand upon her figure mirroring the understanding in his eyes. "Kitsune…" His voice was low and affectionate as he held her close. "Did you run here to tell me that…?"

"No…" She tried to laugh and only ended up falling into another coughing fit. "Just… Just ran from… taxi driver." She ended up smiling regardless. "No money…"

It was just like her to do something so reckless, but he mentioned nothing of the sort as he turned his attention to his date. "Shinobu," He called out to her and she snapped out of her shock. "She's going to be alright. She's just—Thank God…" He sighed, closing his eyes as he regained his composure. "She's just tired. C-Can you get a taxi for us?"

The schoolgirl nodded before looking around and scanning the streets for a cab. Kitsune watched her try to wave down a taxi with jaded eyes. "Keitaro… She…"

"I know…" He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped away the stuff on the side of her face. "You didn't have to do something like this for me. I'm…" He embraced her whole heartily. "I'm so glad we saw you."

A whole new kind of fear unfolded inside his thought upon thinking of what could have happened if he managed to stop the first taxi he saw or if they had thought to leave the restaurant earlier.

He would have missed Kitsune.

"I'm… I'm so glad I saw you."

He hugged her and she huddled up closer to him, letting her head fall into his shoulder as she wrapped her weary arms around him. They sat on the ground, holding each other but he was the only one that shivered at the thought of what could have happened to her.

"Kitsune… please…" She knew he was crying. She could feel his tears on her neck. "Please don't do anything like this again."

"Idiot…" Her voice was raspy, her eyes watering as she leaned into him. "That's what I'm supposed to say…"

She should have been able to tell what he had planned. Only someone like him would actually do something as crazy as miss an interview on purpose, but the reason tears ran down her face was because she was just as glad as he was. She was lucky to find him the first place, but he didn't have any idea how good it felt to be in his arms.

"I'm happy you're okay…" He smiled even as he wept. "I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life when I realized that was you. I… I thought something bad happened to you."

She shook her head, leaving her tears on his blazer before she pulled her head back to look him in the face. He was smiling, thankful that she was okay, so she managed a weak smile in return.

Did he know all she ever wanted was for someone to care?

Something in his touch promised he did and, just like that, she remembered she was his girlfriend. Even if it was a lie, even if he never came to accept her like that, she was still his girlfriend. He was worried because he cared for her, and he was scared because she was important to him. He was kind enough to extend those feelings to anyone, but the blessing of his touch and the affection in his words were reserved only for the one closest to his heart.

Did she deserve it?

She didn't.

Kitsune knew she wasn't worthy of being with him. She knew from the beginning that he was out of her league. Keitaro was someone that she didn't deserve, someone that she intentionally sought to steal from others. She was the one that was wrong. She was the one that started everything so it was only right that she ended it. All she had to do was tell him she wasn't good enough. All she had to do was tell him that she would never be good enough for him but…

She never wanted him to let her go.

She knew it was wrong when she started, but she swore to herself she wouldn't be half-hearted when it came to him. For the first time in her life, she was dedicated. She wasn't good enough for him, but she wanted to be. She would never be good enough, but she'd keep trying to become someone he could depend on.

She needed to become someone he could rely on because…

"Keitaro…" She could see a cab slowing to a stop behind him, but she didn't want to go anywhere. She wanted to stay right where she was. "I…"

She always depended on him.

There were so many ways to tell him what she already said, so many ways to do what she already did, but nothing came to mind as she looked into his eyes. He already knew how she felt and she wouldn't kiss him when it looked like she just rolled out of a garbage can. For a second, she was wondered what she would do until her response came naturally.

"I guess…" She snuggled against him, hating the fact that she was making him dirty and enjoying the comfort he provided at the same time. "I guess I'm happy, too."

She was trying to change for him and she would. She would become the kind of woman he needed, but, before anything else, she was happy. Even though she was dirty, sick, and hurt, he tended to her and held her close. The future, the tomorrow where she would make a better effort, felt far away. She'd try her best when it came, but, until then, she wanted to stay right where she was.

Continued…

Next chapter:

More

"I'm always going to do things I don't have to do because I love you."


	11. More

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Eleven

More

She got into a fight with her mother.

It was nothing serious, nothing big. It was the usual useless banter they always exchanged since they were both stubborn. Her little brother was there, nodding along with every point their mother made. He was smart. Even if he didn't agree with some of the things the older woman said, pretending he did guaranteed he wouldn't be dragged into the spat.

Once again, it was another stupid argument about her attitude.

Time and time again, she tried to explain that she wasn't like them. She didn't think the value of person equated to the amount of time he or she invested in education so it wasn't surprising that she hated school. Her classmates were stupid, studying was boring enough to bring tears to her eyes, and academics didn't suit someone that resented them. If high school was going to be the same, then she'd drop out and get a job. Going to work was much better than wasting more than half of her day at school.

Her mother slapped her.

Stunned, she didn't stop to think about the sting of her cheek as she looked from her brother to her mother and then back at the little boy again. The look on his face, the shock that fractured the indifference that defined him, meant that her mother did indeed strike her for the first time.

Their mother, the frail woman that never raised her voice, slapped her only daughter.

It was a crime.

It was a betrayal.

It was wrong.

It was wrong because she didn't approach her mother for advice or permission. Her mind was already made up. She was going to drop out and save up enough money to get her own place. She was going to make enough money to get away from the boring family that always looked at her like they were disappointed.

All she wanted to do was see them off before she left.

She was going to hug the brat that was her brother and wish him good luck even though he didn't need it. He was a genius, the pride of the family. If he was her age then he would have already been in a university somewhere.

She was going to leave a note for her father and thank him for never scolding her despite all the trouble she got it. She liked to believe he was just weak against cute girls, but she had a feeling that he made it a point to never concern himself with the problems of his only daughter.

She was going to embrace her mother, the dull woman that always tried to teach her things she didn't care about, and say some crap about keeping in touch but…

Everything she thought to do was changed by the tinge of stinging red on the side of her face. The schoolgirl rubbed her cheek. It didn't hurt. The woman that slapped her was never strong. If anything was wounded, it was her perception of the woman that stood before her. The woman that gave extra chores to keep her at home slapped her. The woman that didn't let her watch more than two hours of television a day disrespected her. The woman that thought she loved to play the viola had the audacity to hit her when she was trying to be nice.

The woman that didn't understand her at all struck her thinking that she did.

That was the crime.

Her mother stared at her outstretched hand in mute shock, her eyes frantically darting up before she quickly pulled it back to her side with a speed that didn't match her weak body. The woman that never got mad at anything got angry enough to hit her when she did nothing wrong.

That was the betrayal.

She didn't quite know when her mother made the transition to that woman and, frankly, she didn't care because she had already decided the person in front of her wasn't her mother anymore. She didn't have a family anymore. She'd forget about them the moment she got to Tokyo. She'd be on her own so she wouldn't have to listen to anyone. She'd be able to party as much as she wanted. She'll be able to do anything she wanted to do.

She was leaving.

The woman grabbed her by the wrist to halt her advance and her daughter shook off the offending hand like it burned, the spiteful glare she shot back enough to fend off a second attempt. She shoved her brother aside and walked out the front door without saying anything to the people she left behind.

She left for Tokyo that night and didn't return.

"…just needs to rest."

"Are you sure? I think I should have taken her to the hospital…"

Kitsune quietly woke from her dream, but the voices she heard kept her still. She kept her eyes closed, steadied her breathing, and, even with haze of sleep clouding her thoughts, deduced some things quickly enough for her sleepy mind to process them.

For one, she was in Keitaro's room.

It didn't take the futon that smelled like him or the sound of his voice to make her figure it out. It was simply the way it felt that let her know where she was. The warm, inviting atmosphere of his room was almost enough to lull her back to sleep, but the voices to her side kept her interested enough to stay awake.

"It's not that serious." It was Motoko. She sounded tired. "She's just dehydrated."

"I see, but she still has a temperature." She hoped to feel his hand on her head after the remark, but she could feel his presence, his concern, tilting over her like an umbrella instead. "Motoko, can you go and get the medicine out of the kitchen for me? I think it might make her feel a little better when she wakes up."

The soft, measured footsteps moved away from where she laid told her that the swordswoman was gone.

"Keitaro…"

She opened her eyes.

"Kitsune…"

She grinned at the simple exchange, but he didn't share her smile after the greeting. His eyebrows were low, his eyes guarded in an attempt to subdue the feelings he didn't know how to properly express.

Something was wrong.

Keitaro took off his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose before he looked down and sighed. The air around him changed. He was clearly worried. She knew that much, but she could almost see the emotion around him. He was angry and she knew him well enough to tell. He was seriously mad at her and he was trying his best not to say anything rash.

"Kitsune," He repeated her name without looking up. "Please don't do something like that again."

There was nothing she could say to him. A joke wouldn't make him feel better and he already didn't want to talk about it. The issue of Kitsune putting herself at risk for his sake was locked away, never to be talked about or considered ever again.

In his own way, he was telling her not to be stupid.

"There's this guy that makes me feel like doing stupid things sometimes…" Kitsune decided she was going to talk about it because it was a possibility she would always consider. "If it was for him…"

She'd do anything for him.

She wanted to tell him that truth from the bottom of her heart, but the eyes staring directly into her own left no room for something as broad as a declaration. His expression, the grave expression that doesn't suit someone like him asked her if she was crazy. The way he looked at her asked if she had any idea what could have happened to her last night.

"I had a—No…" Kitsune calmly observed his reaction and readied a proper answer to the question he didn't voice. "It was a memory. I remembered when I left home…" She sighed before turning her sight back to the ceiling. "I was a stupid kid, Keitaro. I had good grades, but I wanted to quit school since it was boring. I got into a fight with my mama so I just walked off and left." She could almost feel the look on his face. "Yup, no bags or anything. I just hitched a ride with some woman and ended up in the place I always wanted to live."

He didn't quite understand why she telling him about her past all of a sudden, but he was interested. It wasn't like he could never stay mad at any of the girls for long, and he always wanted to know about her so he listened, quietly and patiently, to her story.

"I don't think I ever felt so free…" A fond smile spread across her face at the memory. "In the back of my mind, I knew what I was doing was wrong, but it felt so good to just shrug off my responsibilities and go. I felt so relieved that I wasn't scared. I kind of knew bad stuff could happen to me out on my own, but I was so glad to get away that I didn't even bother to think about it until I realized I didn't have anywhere to go. I would have been in some real trouble if I didn't run into Grandma Hina."

"Grandma…" Keitaro regained his smile. His grandmother always had a habit of showing up at just the right moment. "So she's the reason you came here?"

"Yeah, she saved a stupid girl that didn't have anywhere else to go." Kitsune turned to look at him. "The crazy part about it is that I ended up going to high school anyway. As long as I stayed in school, I didn't have to pay rent. I know it sounds silly, but…" She smiled as she trailed off, but it wasn't as happy as her usual grin. In fact she looked sad as she thought about the family she didn't speak to since she left. "I think the reason I had that dream was because you reminded me of my mother a little."

"Y-Your mother…?"

She shook her head up and down.

Obvious reasons aside, there was a reason the comparison bothered him. Keitaro locked eyes with her and she idly noted he looked really different with his glasses off. "I want you to stay with me, but I wouldn't force you to stay if-"

"No…" Kitsune groaned. "What I'm saying is that you're the type that only gets angry at people because you care so much. If I realized how my mother felt at the time, then I wouldn't have been such a bitch to her."

"I just don't want you to go out of your way just to do stuff for me…"

"I'm always going to do things I don't have to do because I love you."

"Kitsune…"

"I'm just letting you know that this ain't the last time you're going to get mad at me." She winked at him, her trademark smile returning as she told him the truth. "I'm always going to try my best for you, Keikei."

"You're an idiot…" He reached down and touched the silver gray of her hair, playing with the locks as she accepted his criticism. He touched her because she touched him. "Did you know that?"

"I did… Did you-"

"I apologize." The door to his room slid open. "I had to go ask Su what she did with the—Oh…"

Motoko stepped into a moment of open affection. It felt like she encroached, trespassed into a place where she wasn't supposed to be. She averted her eyes, quickly looking away from what she didn't want to see before taking another step.

She wasn't angry.

If anything, she was hurt by the scene in front of her but shifting her feelings into neutral was something she was always good at doing. Her shock vanished in seconds, and the vacant expression she used to mask her feelings was all she needed to quiet the heart that wanted to be heard. She walked into the room and held up the medicine the landlord asked her to get.

"I found it." The sight she tried so hard to ignore was burned into her mind like a brand even though she looked away. "I'm… sorry that it took so long."

"No p-problem." Keitaro pulled his hand back so fast it was almost like it was never there. "T-Thanks for bringing it though…"

Any disappointment Kitsune experienced because of the absence of his hand in her hair was swept aside by the feeling that stirred inside her as she looked up at Motoko. It wasn't anger. She definitely wasn't angry at Motoko anymore. It was something more poignant, a feeling that something was wrong and that she didn't know how to fix it. One thing she did know was that she didn't want to fight with her.

She didn't want to fight and argue with the other girls anymore.

"Motoko…"

"Mitsune…"

The frigid greeting they exchanged with each other chilled any attempt to add more to it. Kitsune turned her attention back to the ceiling and Motoko never summoned the strength to look the woman in the eyes. They spoke without looking each other in the eyes and the greeting that was meant to tear down some of the walls between them only put up more.

Kitsune heard her talking earlier, but it wasn't until she actually looked at her that she recalled exactly what happened the day before. It wasn't that she forgot. Her stomach still hurt. It was more of that she didn't bother to think about it because she simply didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to even have it on her mind, but seeing the girl who punched her forced her to remember everything she did to taunt her.

It was already awkward considering Motoko saw something she didn't want to see, so what already happened between them only served to add more invisible weight on top of her shoulders. The dignified posture she was proud to possess was lax, her pride scarred by the things she did yesterday.

"She helped me out a lot." Keitaro put his glasses back on, oblivious to the gloom that slowly started to fill his room. "I was really tired after I carried you up the stairs and—Not that you're heavy or anything!" He blurted out, unintentionally brightening the mood with his outburst. Kitsune grinned at him and Motoko nodded in light of knowing what he meant. "I mean you're lighter than you look. No!" He was mortified. "I mean you're you weren't as heavy as I-"

"Just say that you carried her here and leave it at that." Motoko grumbled, fed up with his antics as she looked down at the medicine she held. "Anyway, she's awake now. You can go to sleep."

"Not yet." Keitaro stayed where he was. "I've been in here since I got back and I didn't want to ask anyone to do some chores for me. I still got to see about-"

"No." She interrupted him again. "You will do nothing of the sort. I'll help Mitsune back to her room and then you can rest."

"I'm sorry." She hated when he apologized to her. "I can't go to sleep when there's work to do. I still got to see about some different schools, too. I promise I'll take a nap when I'm finished though, okay?"

"Okay…" Motoko was weak against his smile so she could only nod. "I'll stay with her then."

With that Keitaro stood up, but it wasn't until he rose to his full height that the woman in his futon realized something she should have noticed. He was still wearing the same clothes. He just said he was with her ever since he got back to Hinata House. The things that should have been obvious blindsided her. The white of his dress shirt was still dirtied by the mess she left on him, and the specks of mud on his slacks were her fault.

He was with her the whole time but…

She was dirty last night.

Belatedly, Kitsune remembered how she looked and she slowly reached a hand down to the cover and lifted it. Her prayers were answered in the forms of a tee shirt and panties. It wasn't what she had on yesterday. Someone was kind enough to change her clothes. She expelled the breath she was holding as she released the hold she had on the cover and her head fell back on the pillow in complete relief.

"My clothes…"

"Shinobu washed them for you." He could tell by the tone of her voice that something bothered her. "I folded them up and put them back in your room… Do you want me to go and get them for you?"

"No, I just…" She was unusually quiet as she trailed off into a pause. "I didn't want you to see me like that."

She never wanted anyone to see her like that.

If she had any sense she would have cleaned herself up before running off into the night, but the concept of vanity was lost to her the moment she found out his dreams were in jeopardy. She didn't regret chasing after him. She'd do the same thing if given another chance. It was just that she'd prefer if he never saw her looking so bad.

"We're not going to make fun of you or anything because you got sick." The landlord looked at the swordswoman that nodded in agreement before turning back to Kitsune. "I would never make fun of you for doing something for me."

"Oh…" She said dismissively, too absorbed in thought to be grateful that he missed what was really bothering her. "Thanks…"

It wasn't that simple.

The truth was that she was shallow and she knew it. She cared about how she looked and she prided herself on being attractive because it was her only good point. At her best, she was at least a pretty failure but, at her worst, she was…

"Kitsune…" The man that accepted both the best and worst of her returned to her side. She met his eyes with her own as he kneeled. She was expecting him to say more and waiting for him to do so until he plucked her in the forehead.

Motoko looked on in confusion and Kitsune quickly raised a hand to rub to stinging spot. It hurt, not enough to make her mad, but it definitely hurt and she was about to tell him as much until he broke into a laugh.

"You're definitely an idiot."

His girlfriend was silenced as he reprimanded her for the second time. Motoko was stunned, an insult from Keitaro enough to make her jaw drop. Keitaro never flicked someone between the eyes and, as far as she knew, he never insulted anyone before, either.

"There's someone that told me not to be sad by myself so I don't want her to be sad by herself, either." Keitaro stood again, still grinning as he looked down at the woman that rested on his futon. "I don't always know how to make her feel better, but I'll try my best to be happy so she can be happy, too."

Kitsune closed her eyes and basked in the warmth of his affection. She was already hot on account of the fever, but his feelings still warmed her. The basis of their relationship was in the words he returned. He wouldn't leave her alone if she was sad and he'd do what he could to make her happy. It was the closest he ever came to a confession so it was the closest he ever got to her heart.

"I'll be really happy when I pass that test then…"

She didn't get a chance to tell him yesterday that he won the bet.

"Test?" Again, Motoko felt like she was prying into something private. "What are you talking about?"

"It's a bet." Keitaro was in front of her with his hand out so she gave him the medicine. He twisted off the cap and he shook out some capsules. "If I won she'd try the entrance exam for Tokyo U."

"You mean the actual university? Her?" Motoko watched him nod and only became more confused than she was before. Why would someone as clumsy as Keitaro make a bet with anyone? How would her taking the test benefit him? "What kind of terms did she set? No," There was a more important question to ask. "What if you lost?"

"No accidents for a week…"

Kitsune didn't look away from the ceiling as she said it. She was too amazed to note the glare Motoko shot at her. It wasn't until she said it out loud that she thought about how crazy it really was that Keitaro did it. The most unlucky, accident-prone guy she knew did what he said he would and…

He did it for her.

"Keitaro wanted me to take the test so he made a silly bet he should have lost." Kitsune was all smiles and unaware of the clouded expression of the girl that stood to her side. "Ha…" She dragged a hand down her face as she thought back. "You know, if I won, it would have been a free month for me, Keikei."

"W-What?" He almost dropped the pills he was counting. "I thought you said half off!"

"Hmm?" She hummed, smiling as she thought to remind him of another promise he made. "Didn't you say something about easing up on the rent before then?"

"Oh yeah…"

She watched him hand the capsules to Motoko on his way out the room. "Heh, kind of caught you in a lose-lose situation?

"Nope." He looked at her over his shoulder, pushing his glasses up as he found his smile again. "I would have been happy either way. I already know you can pass the test and I don't mind you having some extra money. I'm actually thinking about lowering the rent a little so-"

"That's irresponsible. That money, our rent, is your livelihood." Motoko was tired of watching the exchange she barely knew anything about. She balled her hand, forgetting about the pills she held as she sought to remind them of her presence. "You can't decide things like that on a whim. You can't go around trying to secure our wants by neglecting your needs."

"I know. Don't worry about me." He flashed the smile that settled any argument as he stopped at the door and she knew there was nothing she could say to change his mind. "I can't afford to make it permanent, but I want everyone to have fun since Christmas is coming up and everything."

Unable to retort, she looked towards Kitsune hoping she would be able to persuade him.

"Good idea, Keikei!"

Motoko sighed, barely lifting her head in time to see the landlord leave. With a wave of his hand, the man she adored was gone and she was left alone with the woman that took her place. "He wanted…" She cleared her throat, the uncomfortable tension that set in with Keitaro's absence started to become dense. "He wanted to me to give you this medicine."

"Okay…"

It was horribly awkward.

Women that hated each other just yesterday had another relationship forced upon them. The instigator was being taken care of by the person that nearly punched a hole through her stomach. The hatred was replaced with deep empathy, the fact that former friends did their worst to each other strengthening the fragile bond between them.

They weren't friends, but they would never be mean to each other again. They certainly weren't enemies, though. Instead of the extremes, they found middle ground. They didn't know exactly what they were, but one thing both of them could understand was that they didn't want something like that to ever happen again.

One thing they could both see was that the other was sorry.

"Hey… I'm sorry for-"

"Mitsune, I apologize-"

They spoke out at the same time, shy voices coming out in unison as they sought to apologize. Motoko had her back to the gray-haired woman as she gazed down into the glass of water she left on the desk and Kitsune stared at her back. It was hard to believe things could get any more embarrassing.

"Oh… Gone go first."

"No, I… You first."

They felt like they were back in grade school trying to settle a playground argument, but what they did to each other was way worse than kicking down a sand castle or staying on the swing too long.

"Why did you tell Shinobu to interrupt me?" Motoko asked the question that burned in the depths of her heart, the question that plagued her since the little cook effectively killed her chances to be with the landlord. "I'm not mad anymore… I just want to know why."

"Huh?" It was Kitsune's turn to be confused. "I didn't do anything like that… I thought you were the one that told her to go on the date with him."

"Are…" Motoko cracked a grin for all the wrong reasons. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah," She was unsure of what to say to the accusation, but she figured the truth would be the best thing to say. "Shinobu doesn't like me anymore, Motoko…"

"This can't be real." The swordswoman shook her head in disbelief, both of her hands on the desk as she suppressed the bitter laughter that dared to come out. It was ridiculous. The reason why she didn't feel fit to keep her sword at her side was because she hit the woman behind her and the reason she hit her was specifically because she felt Mitsune did something unforgivable by using Shinobu to do such a thing. She jumped to a conclusion and was paying the price for it. "You're telling me that Shinobu…"

She trailed off and let the incomplete thought remain as such.

It didn't matter what Shinobu did or what she planned to do. What was done was done and there was nothing she could do to change the past. Motoko sighed before grabbing the glass of water off the desk and turning towards the futon.

It was too late to right her wrongs, but it was never too late to make amends.

"I'm sorry…" The person she wronged beat her to the point. "You know… For doing things the wrong way…" Kitsune didn't move when Motoko set the glass down next to the futon. "I went behind your back and put him on the spot. I took advantage of his kindness because I…" She swallowed hard, just the thought by itself stealing the warmth that filled her. "I didn't want him to leave me behind after I admitted to myself that I wanted to be with him."

"I apologize as well." Motoko took a seat on the floor next to the futon. "I said a lot of bad things about you and I'm… I'm…"

It was hard to say it but…

"Motoko," Kitsune sat up, the cool rag on her forehead falling into her lap with the motion. She extended her hand and laid it on top of the one that trembled. "It's okay. Really. It was my fault… I'm sorry I pushed you that far."

She had to say it.

"N-No…" That wasn't why it hurt so badly. "I'm sorry I… hit you."

The tension in the air was unmasked.

It was nothing but regret.

They regretted the things they said and did to each other from the very moment the conflict started. They lied, cheated, and hurt each other in an attempt to make the other look worse in the eyes of the landlord. Even though that, by itself, was bad, the swordswoman took it too far when she actually hit her.

"You were crying." Kitsune kept her hand on top of hers. "You were crying way before you hit me, Motoko and…" She was tearing up. She wanted to be strong, but she could already feel her eyes watering. "You're not disgusting. I'm really sorry about everything."

"You're not disgusting, either… Kitsune."

Motoko managed a smile even as she blinked away tears. She quietly cried and it was only when Kitsune leaned forward to embrace her that she realized the absence of the sword the girl carried.

Insight hit her like a ram.

Kitsune stopped herself short of asking the question as she wrapped her arms around the younger girl. Motoko never forgot her sword. Instantly, reasons assaulted a mind weakened by fever. Did she leave it in the tea house? Was she scared to hold it after what happened?

Did she feel she wasn't worthy of carrying it anymore?

"Motoko…"

They hugged each other, fresh tears born on each other's shoulder as they connected with each other for the very first time. The differences they had were settled, their wrongs forgiven in a moment that both of them needed.

"P-Please don't tell him…" Motoko buried her head into Kitsune's shoulder as she broke down. "Please don't tell him I hit you."

"I won't." She would never tell another soul as long as she lived. "I swear I won't."

"I'm so…" The guilt was unbearable so just hearing that much made her feel way better than she did before. "I'm so sorry, Kitsune."

She rubbed her on the back as they came to a mutual understanding. The things they did to each other were unforgivable, but they had to forgive each other in spite of that. Being able to put things like that behind them was what it meant to be friends.

"I'm sorry, Motoko."

0

Motoko and Kitsune did not know each other well.

It wasn't because of the clash of lifestyles or because they never spoke to each other. It was simply because they had little in common. Motoko believed her housemate lived in an ill-tempered world of vice and Kitsune felt the swordswoman reminded her too much of the strict family she ran away from. It didn't mean they couldn't be friends, though.

It just meant they weren't exactly quick to spend time with each other, but one of the few things they did have in common changed that.

"Do you remember when that debt collector called and you told him you'd shove all the money I owed down his throat if he even looked at Hinata House?" Kitsune laughed as she pulled another card from her hand and laid it down on the floor.

Motoko grumbled before drawing a card from the deck. "You told me that was your boyfriend…"

"Ha…" Kitsune flashed her friend a guilty smile. "The little details don't matter."

"Oh?" The swordswoman placed a card down. "I'm the kind of person that believes everything matters."

"If you spend too much time obsessing over the small stuff, you miss the big picture." The gray-haired woman drew a card and the guilty smile on her face was replaced by one much more sly. She played a card and took in the sight of Motoko's expression before saying "One."

Motoko drew four more cards and sighed as her turn was skipped. Kitsune played her last card and extended her winning streak to eighteen games. In a fun twist, the swordswoman spotted the pack of cards on Keitaro's desk and they played before, during, and after dinner. It was almost a shame Motoko had school tomorrow, but it was about time they stopped anyway.

"You know you won, don't you…?"

"It's just luck." Kitsune opened her eyes as the girl opposite decided to share the obvious. "It sounds kind of silly, but I'm good at children's games because-"

"No," Motoko stacked the dishes on the floor before she picked them up and started to stand. "I'm talking about Keitaro…"

"I already told you it's not like that, Motoko." Kitsune reached for the cards and started to shuffle them. "I didn't defeat you or anything. I was just lucky that—Oh," She blinked, stopping what she was doing and setting the deck to the side as she looked up at her friend. "I never told anyone about that…"

Motoko piled the dishes on the tray and walked back towards the older girl to grab the cups. "About what?"

"You have to keep it a secret."

Motoko was never a fan of secrets. She always felt secrecy was for people who acted in the shadows, people who didn't do honest work. It wasn't that she didn't believe in privacy. It was just that evil was rooted in the unknown. Evil was in the gossip old women used to pass the time, slander spread unchecked in the lies told behind people's backs and she wanted no part with them… until she was forced to hold one with the woman in front of her.

She was torn. On one hand, she didn't want to keep another bitter truth in her heart but, on the other, she wanted to know more about Keitaro. She wanted to know what Kitsune saw that made her go so far.

"I was having my morning drink and—Heh… Can you save the disapproving looks until I'm finished?" Kitsune smiled as the girl's face immediately softened. "Anyway, I saw his sketchbook. I left to take it back to his room and then I heard him…" Her smile faded as she looked down into her covered lap. "I heard him being sad by himself and it hurt me. It hurt me that I never noticed. It hurt me that no one was with him."

"When was this…?"

Motoko didn't care about the crude explanation.

It felt like something was crawling on her, the sinking feeling that something was amiss making her flesh crawl. There had to be a reason—a good reason—why Keitaro suddenly started to spend more time with Kitsune and the truth was right in front of her.

"The other weekend. Remember when everyone left with Seta?"

She thought back to the day Su begged her to come and there was no way to deny the girl once she latched onto her arm. Though she did end up having a good time with everyone, she wouldn't have gone if she had known the landlord they left behind was miserable on account of their absence.

"No," She was confused, puzzled as she questioned herself. "I don't—He wasn't… He wasn't sad when we got…" She trailed off as a more horrible thought came to mind. "No… You didn't…"

"I didn't." Kitsune confirmed. "I wouldn't take advantage of him like that…"

"So why?" She needed to understand. She wanted to know why she lost to her. "What did you do that made him touch you like that?"

"Motoko…"

"I'm not mad, Kitsune." She wasn't, but she desperately needed to know what separated them in his mind. "I just want to know what happened. That's all…"

"I cheered him up."

"Huh?"

"Keitaro is really sensitive…" Kitsune pulled away a stray strand of gray before reaching for the cards again. "He puts up a strong front, but he's a pretty fragile guy at heart. I always went around thinking he was the happy-go-lucky type until I really saw him." She started shuffling. "He doesn't have any self-confidence, Motoko."

Their landlord was someone that would silently let all of their troubles fall on top of his shoulders so they wouldn't be burdened, but he never shared his own problems with anyone. One of the reasons she loved him was because he always went out of his way, but she never thought to reflect on how little he did for himself.

"I see." Motoko picked up the cups and headed back to towards the tray she left on the desk. "I wasn't there when he needed me so it turned out like this…"

"Don't be silly." Kitsune laid back down. "I'm saying that we're the same, Motoko. Seeing him cry and seeing him depressed don't mean nothing if we don't do something about it. We stopped sidelining ourselves…" She lifted her eyes to the covered hole in the ceiling. "We saw that he was unhappy and did something about it."

Motoko grinned as she shook her head. The swordswoman lifted the tray, laughing as she stood in place. It was ironic that someone she once deemed scum had better intentions than she did. "I just wanted him to be happy with me, but talking with you proves I was being selfish about the whole-"

"Nothing is selfish about wanting to be happy." Kitsune was adamant as she lowered her eyes from the ceiling. "The reason, the only reason, Keitaro bothers with me is because I'm around. If I didn't make an effort to mess things up for you then none of this would have even happened. I'm sorry about that…"

"We've already apologized enough." Laughter ended. "Let's not go back to that…"

"Yeah…"

"Anyway, he already told me it was over." Motoko turned her attention to the door before she started walking. "Before you woke up, he told me he that he wanted to be with you. I just wanted to see how you felt since I never tried to listen to you before."

"Wow." Kitsune muttered blankly. "I know I asked him to be a little assertive, but I can't see him saying—Wait…" She blinked, unable to think straight as the meaning of what Motoko said sprouted in her mind. "He said what?"

"He's serious about you."

"Motoko…" She quickly sat back up, the look in her eyes asking the question before she voiced it. "Are you okay with that?"

"You're not like me, Kitsune." Motoko ignored the question as she headed for the door. She balanced the tray on one arm before sliding open the door. "I admit that I'm selfish. I'm stubborn, too. If there is something I want then I won't relent for someone else's sake, but you… You're not as egotistical as you think you are." She covered her broken heart with a forced smile. "Out of everyone here, you're the one that has the most in common with him."

"Motoko, wait." Kitsune took a deep breath before pulling back the cover. She wasn't going to let her go off and cry somewhere if there was anything she could do about it. "Stay. Let's talk about this some more, okay?"

Her opinion of Kitsune changed in a single day.

Kitsune, the woman that she used to think was lazy and incompetent, did not get up to get a drink or search for her racing ticket stubs. The woman that she slandered stood on shaky legs to tend to the feelings of the girl that put a bruise on her stomach. Without even taking an idle moment to reflect on the fact that Keitaro decided to be with her, the fox-eyed woman tried to make sure her friend was okay.

"I'm fine…" Motoko gave the worried woman an honest smile before stepping out of the room. She finally understood what Keitaro saw in her. "Just try to get some more rest before you worry about other people."

The older girl nodded as she barely made her way to the desk. She was sore and way more tired than she originally thought she was. "Motoko, hold up…" Kitsune leaned on the desk for a while before pushing off and standing up straight. "It's a little late, but thanks… for taking care of me and changing my clothes." She looked down at what she was wearing. "I think I would have died if I woke up like that in front of him."

"You're welcome." It was her fault that she looked like that in the first place. "Just try not to walk around like that in front of him…"

Motoko walked out the door and left for the night. Kitsune quickly pulled the chair out from under his desk and fell into it. She had slept for nearly the whole day and she was still tired. She slumped forward, resting her forehead on the cool surface of the desk as she took the time out to think about the girl that just left.

Motoko was her friend again.

Kitsune rubbed the sore spot on her stomach.

In a way, she was glad that the swordswoman punched her. If taking some hits was all it took to reset some of the relationships she wanted to mend, then she'd gladly let a few punches come her way. She'd let Shinobu kick her if it meant there wouldn't be any more hard feelings. She'd gladly let her mother slap her again if it meant they'd be able to talk to each other.

She would definitely let Naru punch her if it meant they could be friends again.

"It's not that easy…"

Motoko was a special case. It was because the swordswoman hit her that they managed to set aside their desires and accept the reality of what was happening to them. It took her stomach nearly caving in for them to realize what they were doing to each other was wrong, but it was enough to make them truly talk to each other. After it was all said and done, the only reason things went so well was because Motoko didn't hold grudges.

Kitsune sighed.

The woman that finally had what she always wanted lamented over what she used to have as she rested her head on the desk. Keitaro was her boyfriend, but she barely had any friends left. It wasn't supposed to be like that. She wasn't supposed to sacrifice one for the other.

Kitsune wanted her friends, her family, back, but…

"It's not going to be that easy… It shouldn't be."

She ignored and neglected her friends because she wanted Keitaro so it was only right that her actions came back to haunt her. How she acted in the past was catching up to her, but she welcomed it along with the mistakes she made. If she wanted to settle her differences with them then she had to accept that she did wrong. If she wanted to be friends with them again then she couldn't keep avoiding them.

She had to confront them and set things right again.

"Alright!"

Kitsune stood from her chair a little too fast and stamped a hand down on the desk as she started to get woozy. Before she went around knocking on doors, it'd be a good idea to wait to wait until tomorrow and waiting until she felt better wouldn't necessarily be a bad idea, either.

Continued…

Next chapter:

Hurt Me So II

"I was waiting on you, Keitaro!"


	12. Hurt Me So II

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Twelve

Hurt Me So II

"Alright!"

Keitaro threw his hands into the air, nearly falling out of his chair with his cheer. He was finished. It took a while, but he was finally finished. The landlord looked down at the small stack of drawings with a smile. They weren't exactly masterpieces given that he rushed a good number of them, but it wasn't like he was a master artist in the first place.

It was never really the sketching, the simple process of transferring his imagination to paper, that excited him. He liked the process, but the reason he loved his art was because of what it meant to him. The things and people he drew were dear to him, something similar to keepsakes. They were like pictures that he could bring about with just his hand and a sheet of paper. Capturing those moments that people could look back on fondly was everything to him and he hoped to do the same for others once he graduated.

He still had to find a school, though…

The landlord leaned forward, the legs of the chair returning to the floor as he sighed. He didn't regret missing the interview, but it still hit him where it hurt. Good things didn't come around all that often with his kind of luck and he gave it up to make sure someone else was alright. Though he did feel a little sorry for himself, he couldn't help, but smile as he reached for the portfolio he left in the middle of the table.

The girls were important to him.

He didn't mind making sacrifices if it meant they'd be okay. The truth was that he wished for their success more than his own. He opened the manila folder and fingered through the drawings, an example coming to mind with every page he looked at.

A sketch of Shinobu playing with Su was the first to greet him, the drawing unfinished because the princess asked him to join them. Keitaro closed his eyes, vividly remembering the day Shinobu, brimming with gratitude, thanked him for tutoring her before showing him the test she passed. He was happy for her even though he failed the entrance exam again.

Keitaro grinned at the Motoko that glared at him with her hands on her hips. He messed up. It was funny, but he was sure that a certain swordswoman wouldn't find it amusing that one of her arms was slightly longer than the other. It was a mistake in perspective and an idle thought sent him back to a time when Motoko made a similar blunder. Instead of standing up to her sister, she resigned herself to a marriage she didn't want so he stood up for her. He picked up her sword to stop her from being unhappy, and, thankfully, lasted long enough for her to come to her senses.

He was usually too busy to think back to yesterdays, but picking through his art always tugged at the memories he would never forget. He let the drawings slid out of the folder and onto the table. It was due time for him to put them back in order. "Let's see… I already did the chores." Keitaro filed his art away as he thought out loud. "Now that I think about it, I probably should have just bought Motoko a new heater instead of fixing her old one." Though he spent a few hours adding some new material, it didn't take him but a few minutes to get everything organized. He laid the final sketch on top of the others. Shinobu smiled up at him from the sketch, the guidelines he left on her taking nothing from her sunny expression. "I even got to help Shinobu clean up the kitchen for once."

It was a good day.

Kitsune was okay.

That alone made him happy, but seeing Motoko help the girl she once claimed to hate was nothing short of wonderful. It took a while but it looked like they were well on their way to being friends with each other again. He didn't want to just up and ask them about it, though. It was best if they resolved any differences they had by themselves. With his luck, he'd only end up making things worse if he tried to help.

Shinobu was looking better.

He was worried about her at first, but the little cook was never one to let him down. If he wasn't serious about trying to help her with the kitchen, she would have done everything except take out the trash and it was a struggle to get to the garbage can before she did.

It was because he stayed up watching over Kitsune that he was tired, but rushing around the kitchen with Shinobu definitely wore him out. The reason he found himself alone in the kitchen was because he was too exhausted to go back to his room, but, on the bright side, the solitude gave him the perfect chance to pad his portfolio. He planned to get to work in one of the vacant rooms, but the kitchen table was just as good a place as any.

"Maybe I should draw one more and-"

"K-Keitaro?" A figured called out to him before emerging from the darkness, interrupting him as she stepped into the kitchen. She reached for the switch to flick on the lights, but the streaks of moonlight gave her pause. She dropped her hand and raised a question instead. "Is that you?"

"Naru?" He guessed right. His former study partner nodded as she neared him, slowing her walk as the luminescent rays from the window cast a soft glow upon her.

"Yeah," The brunette took a look around the kitchen as she came to a stop. "That…" She pointed at the window behind him. Rusty streaks of light filtered through the blinds he opened to let them in. The eerily red glow from the window was creepy, but the man that sat with his back to it seemed completely unfazed. "That doesn't bother you?"

"The red moon?" He lifted his shoulders and let them fall. "Not at all."

"I take it you're a really big fan of Su then."

"Ha, I don't have anything to worry about when she's sleep and…" Keitaro picked up his pencil and grabbed a blank sheet of paper. "It's not like she'd try to jump me like she did last time or anything."

Naru was a little surprised he didn't turn into a stuttering mess after the accusation she didn't mean to phrase as such, but the ease with which he turned his attention back to his art bothered her.

Didn't he know it was the first time they saw each other in nearly a week?

"Do you need something, Naru?"

"I was j-just coming down here to get dinner…" She was flustered, unsure of herself as she edged away from him. She wondered why he was so nonchalant. It wasn't like she only came to him when she needed something. "Hey…" She fell into thought for a few seconds before deciding to ask. "D-Do you want to eat with me?"

She extended her heart, a carefully crafted invitation something she offered him in hopes of connecting with him again. She donated days to thought and spent hours preparing herself for the chance that suddenly appeared in front of her.

"No thank you."

"What…?"

The landlord never looked up at her so he missed the stunned look on her face. He continued drawing, the faint sound of pencil on paper the only thing he concerned himself with as he sketched. "I'm really sleepy. I just want to finish this and—Wait…" He paused, his pencil stilled as her words settled in his mind. "Shinobu didn't take you a plate?"

It was another stupid question.

Naru gritted her teeth together, ignoring his dumb question as she marched towards the microwave. She didn't know who he thought he was, but that was the last time she'd try to invite him to do anything with her. She pushed the button on the microwave. It wasn't like he did anything worthwhile doing the day. He could have spared some time to stay with her. All she was asking him to do was just chat a little but…

The microwave was empty.

"Shinobu…"

Something twisted inside her and the thorns on the coil of rage snagged on her heart. She was more than just angry, more than just mad. She was mad because Keitaro turned her down. She got angry when he did stupid stuff, but Shinobu was intentionally and actively trying to make sure she starved.

"That little bitch…" She whispered it the same way she said her name, the bitter feelings that crept into her voice the same ones that made her feel like snatching the microwave off the counter and throwing it on the floor. "I can't believe she's doing this to me…"

It wasn't like she bought the damn food. She was doing a service for _everyone_ so she had to make something for _everyone_ to eat. Just because she was the one that cooked didn't mean she was the one that decided if someone ate or not.

"Keitaro…" He couldn't have missed it. He cared about her so he couldn't have missed the fact that Shinobu didn't fix her a plate. "Where's my dinner?"

"Um…" The landlord looked over his shoulder, scratching his head as he tried to think back. "Hmm…" He dropped his head down in thought. "Motoko and Kitsune ate in my room." He missed another look on her face. "Let's see… I ate down here with Shinobu and Su. I remember she put a plate in—Oh!" He snapped his fingers, his expression withering a little as he remembered what happened. "Su… Su ate it. She asked for seconds and Shinobu gave her your plate."

"So she didn't think I needed to eat?"

"It's not like that…" He set his pencil down. "You just haven't been coming down lately so she probably forgot."

He didn't know the reason why she stayed in her room?

"Forget it." She was so hungry that her stomach hurt, but she was alright. She needed to calm down. Food could wait. She wanted to talk to him before anything else. "I'm not hungry. Do you mind if we just talk for a while?"

"Are you sure?" He pushed away from the table, sliding his chair back before he stood. "I can make you-"

"I just said I wasn't hungry!" She yelled as she succeeded in interrupting him. If he wanted to help her, he should have done something before she got hungry. "I'm asking you to listen to me!"

"O-Okay…" He was used to her being angry. "I can do that, but you came down here for dinner, right? Kitsune said I could make some pretty good sand-"

The things that made her angry kept piling up on her. Shinobu didn't make dinner and Keitaro wouldn't have stayed to eat with her even if the girl did. She was trying to talk to him, but he was talking about something Mitsune said. If she didn't know better, she'd believe he was trying to make her angry.

"Look." Her voice was dangerously cold. She didn't want to hear anything about the other girls. "Stop being stupid. Keitaro, I…"

Want to be with you.

"You…"

Mean a lot to me.

"I…"

Love you.

"I…"

Naru trailed off and ushered in a silence so sudden it felt like a lie. The words she wanted to say wouldn't come out and the love she could never express failed to be heard. She tried as hard as she could, but she couldn't say it. She could never say anything when it really mattered. She could never do anything right when it came to letting people know she cared.

"I…"

Love you.

It wasn't that she kept trying. It was more of she couldn't stop. She did it before so she could do it again, it was just a matter of time before she got through to him! It was just a matter of time before she said it and everything went back to normal!

"I…"

Love you.

"Naru…" It wasn't until he called out to her that she realized she was crying. Frustrated tears ran down her face as she did the best she could to tell him everything she wanted to say. "What's wrong?"

"I…"

Love you.

"It's okay…" Keitaro tensed in spite of himself. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know why she was upset and making a quick assumption gave birth to another misunderstanding. "If you're hungry then-"

"I'm not hungry!" Naru stressed, screaming as aggravated tears refused to stop. She wondered why it was so hard for him to understand. No matter how hard she tried, he never understood what she was trying to say. "I just said that!"

"But you said you missed-"

"Do it then!" She was tired and angry, but, more than anything else, she was hurt and hungry. "Make the goddamn sandwiches!"

If he didn't go around being stupid then she wouldn't be hungry. If he didn't go around playing drinking games and grab ass with Mitsune then they would still be studying together. It was his fault. Everything was his fault. He was the reason why she always got so mad. He was the reason why Shinobu hated her. He was the reason why she couldn't say how she really felt.

He was the reason why everything was wrong.

"Okay…" He submitted to her, his hands raised in front of him as he sought to calm her down. "How many do you-"

"Why are you still avoiding me?!" She took a hasty step forward and he stepped back. Her stomach grumbled, the sound loud enough for him to hear, but she didn't care. "Why are you always running away from me…?"

"Avoiding you?" Even though he never made it a point to go out of his way to talk to her after he realized that she didn't like him, it wasn't like he was actively trying to keep his distance anymore. It would have been a different story a few days ago, but he was honestly more worried about _not_ seeing her than the alternative. "It's not anything like that. You just stay in your room a lot nowadays so-"

"I was waiting on you, Keitaro!"

How could he not know she was waiting on him to come to her? She was giving him a chance to make everything up to her and he, being the usual dummy that he was, didn't even notice.

"Waiting on dinner?" She always confused him. "I can start bringing it to you if you don't feel like-"

"I'm not talking about the damn food!" Naru screamed as loud as she could. "God! Stop being so stupid!"

"Naru… calm down." The apologetic look on his face only made her more pissed off because she knew he didn't understand what she was trying to say at all. "You might wake someone up."

"I don't care!" She almost wanted one of the girls, any of them, to approach her with some kind of nonsense about not being able to rest because she had a surefire way to put them to sleep. "Why didn't I get a date? How come I'm always last?"

The topic of their conversation skipped from place to place, and the landlord tried his best to keep up. The barrage of questions was met with answers she interrupted and she didn't stop to give him the chance to provide the explanations she needed. "You never asked me to-"

"I'm not supposed to ask you!!"

She was going to hit him.

It wasn't a prediction or premonition. It was just something that was going to happen, something she knew she was going to do, so the idea of him quietly sharing his time with Kitsune and Motoko prompted her to cross the invisible line she put between them.

"You!" Naru stormed over to where he stood and poked him in the chest with her finger. "You're supposed to ask me!!"

She was going to hit him no matter what he said.

All she wanted to do was talk to him. She just wanted to sit next to him and make him understand that Mitsune was a slob and that Motoko didn't really like him, but they always ended up arguing.

"I did…"

Her conscience couldn't stop her from balling her fist and the truth didn't stop her temper from flaring so, together, they couldn't hold back the right hook that seemed like it came out of thin air. The sharp crack of her knuckles on his jaw sent all of the feelings that coursed through her heart directly into the brain she rattled. Instead of flipping into a wall or rolling until friction made him stop, Keitaro swayed before backing into the chair behind him. The chair toppled over and he tripped over it, the hand that dragged across the table causing the contents of his folder to scatter as he fell.

His art touched the floor, pages stepped on as Naru angrily moved closer to him. She stepped on a sketch of Shinobu sweeping. A drawing of Sarah playing basketball was torn, caught under the leg of the fallen chair as she pushed it out of the way.

She didn't care.

"Get up."

Naru looked down at him, righteous anger possessing her as she thought to punch him for a second time. It wasn't the first time she wanted to hit him again and his misunderstanding didn't help his cause. She was pissed because he never understood anything she said. She couldn't help but get angry when all he had to show for the trouble she went through was a raised eyebrow.

He didn't get back up.

A closer look was all it took to see that she knocked him out, but she didn't care. The reason she hit him wasn't so much to punish him as much as it was to prove her point. She hit him because he made her mad, she hit him because he was a pervert, and…

She hit him because everything was his fault.

Incensed, Naru stood over him with every intention of shaking him awake until her eyes caught sight of something that stole her attention away from the unconscious landlord. It was a drawing under his hand, a sketch of Motoko playing cards with Mitsune. She backed away from the landlord, retracing her steps and stepping on his art all the while as she looked around.

She looked down at the scattered sketches. She saw a drawing of Su playing with a robot, a picture of Haruka putting out a cigarette, and a drawing of Mutsumi juggling watermelons but something was… off.

Someone was missing.

Someone that was supposed to be important to him was missing.

The brunette searched for sight of herself in any of the drawings and found nothing. Everyone was on the floor around her. All of them carried soft smiles, some of them clearly oblivious to the fact that they were captured on paper. Instead of drawings, they were more like snapshots and he never thought to take a picture of her.

Naru grabbed the Mitsune that smiled up at her and ripped it half.

She hit him.

The woman he never drew darted around the kitchen snatching up every drawing she laid hand on. She left nothing more than scraps in her wake, drawings that were meant to make people happy becoming nothing more than depressing confetti that rained on the artist himself.

She didn't stop hitting him.

Art school was the dumbest thing she ever heard of in her entire life. She didn't care where he got the stupid idea from, but the fact was that he wouldn't make it. Keitaro wasn't an artist just because he thought he was. He was stupid. He was stupid so, if he wanted to be anything even close to successful, he had to stick with her.

Naru yanked the folder off the table, her eyes scanning the few sketches that were left inside. He didn't need them. None of them featured her. She wasn't in any of his drawings, but she waited on him. She wasn't in any of his drawings even though she was the one that loved him.

It was alright, though.

Art school was stupid so he didn't need to draw. If he wanted to get into school then all he had to do was study with her. It didn't matter if he failed again. It didn't matter if they both failed again. As long as he was with her, they would pass eventually so he didn't have to bother with drawing.

Tiny specks of white fluttered and danced in the air before slowly drifting down to the floor like snowflakes that didn't melt. They fell on the floor and stayed, all of them pieces of parts that would never be whole again. In the light of the crimson moon, Naru made more confetti for an occasion that no one would ever celebrate.

0

"Ouch…"

Kitsune sighed as she limped along the wall, her sore stomach pressing against it as she inched her way down the hall. Every sideways step made her grimace, but she was just grateful that she at least had the strength to creep along the wall.

"Ouch…"

Waiting in Keitaro's room wouldn't have necessarily been a bad thing, but it wouldn't have been a good idea to stay in her state of undress. Motoko was kind enough to give supply the tee shirt and panties, but she had to make a short, painful walk back to her own room to find some pajamas.

"Ouch… Man…" Kitsune lifted her head to look down the dark hallway and dropped it back down with another sigh. The room was still a few steps away. "He definitely could have put the—Aw… Damn it…"

Her nightcap fell off and she didn't at all feel like bending to pick it back up. It felt like she'd break if she tried so she didn't bother. She'll just have to come back for it in a few days.

"Ouch…" The fox-eyed woman wiped the sweat from her forehead. She made her peace with Motoko and honestly felt things turned out for the best, but she idly wondered how Keitaro managed to walk around after taking punches like the ones Motoko dished out. "Sorry nighty…" She apologized to the fallen cap. "I'll come back for you. I swear."

She lost a soldier on her road march, but her destination was within arm's reach. With a deep breath to accompany her effort, Kitsune pulled away from the wall and slid open the door.

"Hello Kitsune…"

Someone was already inside.

Kitsune snapped her eyes open and her sight automatically landed on the woman drinking straight from the bottle she braved pain and agony to get. The first thing that came to mind was the horrible sight of the very last drop of liquor being savored, but the second was that she didn't know the woman that stole one of her most precious of moments.

"No…" The alcoholic dropped to her knees before planting her hands on the floor. "Not the last bit of vodka…"

She was going to change. She really was, but she just wanted a taste. All she wanted was a gulp or two and then she'd try to get some sleep, but her dream was ruined by…

"Hey…" The woman that stood to help her swayed a little before getting to her feet and the alluring red of the window behind her explained everything. "Are you alright?"

"Su…"

The princess slowed her approach and Kitsune took in the full sight of the woman that neared her. She never knew the complexities of how or why the moon affected Su the way it did, but, faced with the grin that could brighten any day, there was no doubt that the woman in front of her was the same kid she knew.

She was just… bigger.

"Kitsune." Su tilted her head as she greeted her friend again, the small smile on her face a sure sign that the girl retained who she really was no matter how she looked.

"Um…" Kitsune accepted the hand that was held out for her and slowly got to her feet. "You know it's like three in the morning, don't you?"

"Yeah…" The platinum blonde turned and headed back to the bag in the corner. "This doesn't come around that often so I didn't want to waste it by sleeping it off or anything." She started rummaging through the plastic bag, bright eyes scanning the contents of every bottle she looked at as she spoke. "I know I should be getting some sleep since—Ah!" She pulled a bottle free of the bag and hoisted it above her head, the cheer in her eyes making it look like she found treasure as she smiled. "Hear you go, Kitsune."

It was another bottle of vodka.

She bit down on her lip before starting her trek towards the corner of the room, but Su was quick to meet her halfway. The neck of the bottle was pressed into the palm of her hand, and, just like that, Su was back in the corner looking through the bag.

"T-Thanks…"

"No problem."

Kitsune was close to twisting off the cap until she shook herself out of the daze she was in. She lowered her hand, the few seconds she took to adjust spent taking another deep breath. It wasn't the first time she encountered the girl under the light of the red moon, but it was always hard to get used to seeing the kid she knew literally become an adult overnight.

"I'm glad…" Su pulled another bottle out of the bag and juggled it, the contents swishing around with the motion, before catching it. "I thought I was going to be alone till it was time to go to school."

"Su," Kitsune took a few more painful steps before opting to take a seat next to the window. "Why are you here?"

She wasn't mad that the woman was finishing off her collection. The truth was that big Su was her first ever drinking buddy, but it was unlike her to drink alone and in the dark. At the belated thought, Kitsune spied the light switch over her shoulder. She didn't feel like getting up, and Su seemed to be doing just fine with nothing but the errant rays of red to aid her.

"Don't worry." She smiled before reaching back into bag, the brandy she pulled free from it set to side as she looked for something else. "I wasn't looking for your hidden stash."

"It's not anything like that." The older woman waved her off. "It's just… not like you to be by yourself like this."

"Ha…" She laughed, but the sound didn't carry her usual spunk. "I know."

"Su," She forgot about sneaking a drink. "Is something wrong?"

"Kitsune…" Normally, she'd just tell her what was bothering, her but growing up changed the way she thought. She hesitated, seconds passing before she found the nerve to continue. "I want Keitaro… I want to sleep with him."

The immediate silence was deafening, a sign that her admission was the wrong thing to air, but it was something that needed to be said. The undeniable truth was that she wanted to share her special night with him. It was a thought that teased the fringes of a childish mind, but turning into an adult dragged what should have remained a fantasy into the limelight.

When she became an adult, her perspective shifted. It was only when she temporarily abandoned her childhood that she was provided with the necessary insight to realize the things she couldn't grasp as a child. Everything became obvious when the red moon was in the night sky.

She loved it…

She loved being able to understand the subtleties of the things she missed. For just a single night, she could apply her technical genius to common sense and figure out things that she never thought to consider before.

Contrary to what most of the other girls thought, the nights she transformed were mostly spent in quiet, idle moments of self-reflection. It was usually a time she spent to figure out the things she couldn't understand as a kid, but there was a man that changed that. It was only for him that she set aside the enigma of immaturity and sought to share a body that would be gained with time.

When she was a kid she liked to sleep with him because he made funny faces when she practiced her wrestling moves on him, but everything changed under the light of the red moon. The meaning, the concept, the facts… She was no longer spared or sheltered by her naivety.

She wanted to have sex with Keitaro.

"Well…" Kitsune looked up in thought for a while, weighing her options before finally deciding on one. "C'mon then. Let's go see him then."

"What?"

"Let's go." The gray-haired woman left the vodka behind as she slowly got to her feet and reached a hand down to mess up the hair of the girl next to her. "I'm kind of… tired so can you grab the bag?"

"Kitsune, you…" Su couldn't help but blush at what she took as an invitation. "You don't mind?"

"Su," Kitsune sighed a little as she started her trek back towards Keitaro's room. The glimmer of hope in the princess' eyes started to fade thanks to reaction to her ambition. "I… I want to have him to myself." She felt no shame. "I don't mind sharing—No," She caught the way Su snatched her head back up. "I don't mean like that. I don't mind sharing him with everyone, but I'm with him, Su. I don't want him to be with other girls like that."

"I know…" Su, too, breathed in a sigh before standing up. "I figured as much actually." She reached back and effortlessly picked up the back before hoisting it over her shoulder. "This wouldn't be here if he wasn't important to you."

"Ha, it's not like that." Kitsune led the way as they headed for the landlord's room. "I'm just trying to change a little, but it's more for me than for him. Anyway, let's go and have our own little party." She smiled at the thought. "Man, it's been a while since I roped this many people into drinking with me!"

"You're not changing, Kitsune."

"Huh?" The older woman stopped, spinning, albeit slowly, to face the girl behind her. "What do you mean?"

"Throwing these away…" Su looked over her shoulder at the bag she carried before smiling at the women she walked past. "Throwing away some drinks won't change you." She headed for the steps with Kitsune following close behind. "I know what you're trying to do, but the Kitsune I know will always be same one that I met when I first got here."

"Su…"

It wasn't hard to decipher what Su meant with her crazy explanations, but big Su was always somewhat cryptic so it was surprising when she said something so simple that it was almost obvious.

"You just stopped pretending to be something you're not."

Continued…

Next chapter:

Wake

"Please be okay…"


	13. Wake

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Thirteenth

Wake

"…up…"

Keitaro couldn't focus on anything.

He knew someone was trying to say something and he could feel himself being shaken, but the sensation alone wasn't enough to make him want to get up. It wasn't rare for him to feel disoriented and sleepy so early in the day. Of course, as the landlord of a dormitory full of girls, mornings were never kind to him but it was the first time in a while that he felt so tired right after waking up.

"…you have to…"

Someone was trying to shake him awake, but the question of why was lost to the man that couldn't keep his thoughts centered long enough to ask. His mind felt weighed down, all the information that needed to be processed causing him to seek the peaceful retreat of sleep, but the shaking wouldn't stop.

"Get…"

He didn't want to move, though.

He was too tired. He wanted to go back to sleep. Getting up and moving felt close to impossible. He was so tired that he wanted to stay right where he was until his headache left him alone, but the person shaking him wouldn't let him lay undisturbed.

"…taro!"

The landlord opened his eyes and groaned before lolling his head to the side. He squinted, shielding his eyes with a hand as he tried to look up at the person that tried to rouse him from his stupor. He couldn't see though, the light from the window was too bright and his headache kept him from trying to make a guess. It was alright, though. He just wanted to go to sleep so he didn't need to know who it was. He just needed a few minutes of rest, just a few more minutes and he'd do whatever was asked of him.

"You have to get up!"

He sat up too fast, nearly cursing as the pounding of his headache intensified with the motion. Specks of white fell off his rising form, but the only thing he thought to notice was the glasses that slipped and fell from his face. "Uh…" He sighed, dropping his face into his palms as he sought to get his bearings. "Where's the fire…?"

"What happened?"

His hands slid down his face before he turned towards the brown blur at his side. "Su?" On the sight of her blurry figure, he fished around for his glasses until they slid back onto his face. "Thanks…" He was groggy, but he gave the girl that helped him a lazy smile as he adjusted the frames on his face. "What's up…?"

His heart shifted, the expression on her face coming into focus as he looked at her. Her usual exuberance, the cheerful and childish disposition he grew accustomed to, was absent. She looked hurt, the watery eyes that stared deep into his own the reason he thought to console her before she started to cry.

"Su…" He smiled for her sake, ready and determined to help her no matter the circumstances. "What's wrong?"

"Keitaro Keitaro…" Su lowered her head down towards his chest and rested it there as she wrapped her arms around him. He was surprised not by the tiny arms that looped around his frame, but by the explosion of pain from the side of his face. He couldn't think. He wanted to pinpoint it, but just thinking about it made the feeling multiply.

Something was wrong.

The princess that woke him up squeezed him tighter, expelling the air from him with the force she exerted but he never thought to extract himself from her iron hold. From Su, a hug that left him conscious was the best he could hope for, but he was too distracted to even think of trying to make her ease up. He lifted a hand to his face, wincing as he touched it just enough to make sure it was still intact.

"Su…"

It hurt.

Talking made it feel like his jaw was cracking.

"What…" He looked around, ignoring the pain as he scanned his surroundings for the first time since he got up. The dull, red light that illuminated the kitchen was gone. The crimson night was over. Pure, sunny rays of light replaced the rusty streaks he drew under. The sun was coming up. "Wait… That's right."

He was in the kitchen.

Things were starting to come together, but he still couldn't remember exactly what happened. Did he fall on Su? Was it another accident? Did she knock him out by mistake? Did he just trip and fall? The chair was on the floor next to them and some…

"Oh…" Keitaro didn't need to look hard to notice the bits of white scattered around the kitchen so it didn't take him long to see the details. He looked down, the pieces of paper that fell from his hair explaining everything as he took a closer look. "_Oh_…" He understood without having to look any further. He instinctively knew what it was and, just by seeing that much, he understood what happened.

He remembered…

The reason his face hurt so much was because Naru punched him. He was used to it, though. It definitely hurt, but it wasn't something he couldn't endure. There were plenty of times she hit him harder, but seeing his art reduced to something so sad effectively broke the dam that guarded his heart.

His art…

The drawings he took the time out to do were more than just an escape or hobby. His art was his heart, the feelings he translated by putting pencil to paper. The person he was and wanted to be was in every single line he drew. His feelings were expressed by the very point he wanted his art to make. What was scattered around the kitchen used to reflect the beauty of a day lost to in light of better things. The specks of white that fell into his lap used to carry the hope that one day he'd be able to share what made him happy with other people.

The heart that was ripped into pieces was the ambition that couldn't fly anymore, the ripped off wings the very cruelty he averted his eyes away from.

It wasn't fair.

"Su…" It hurt too much. "Can you h-help me clean this up?"

Su blinked, unable to mask her feelings as well as the man she hugged with all of her immature heart. She lifted her head off his chest and backed away just enough to look up at him. The landlord gave her a broken smile, getting up before she even nodded in response. She let go of him. His eyes glazed over, his smile lacking everything it needed to be real, as he slowly started to look around for the broom.

She was speechless.

The child that wasn't an adult anymore couldn't make any sense out of what he was doing. Instead of getting angry at what happened, he smiled and tried to pass it off like it didn't bother him, but anyone could tell he was shaken. The red moon was gone, but some of the effects lingered so the traces of a mind beyond its years stilled the voice that wanted to call out to him and beg him to be okay. Talking to him wouldn't accomplish anything. It was something she instinctively knew the moment she looked him in the eyes.

All she could do was accept what was in front of her the same way he did.

The childishness that urged her to tear apart Hinata House to find some tape, the genius that already started considering the likeliness of building a machine that could remake his art, the fleeting sense of maturity that kept her from asking the questions that would only make him work faster…

All of it was useless.

What happened already happened and, even if she could put his art back together, the fact that it had already been torn apart negated what it used to be. She understood that feeling. She blinked away the thought of herself standing in front of a pile of metal that consisted of every Mecha-Keitaro she ever made.

"Su…" The landlord called out to her with a broom and dustpan in hand, wasting no time getting started as he dropped the tray to the floor and started sweeping. "Can you hold…" He paused to clear his throat, taking his time to try and conceal the feelings she could already see. "Can you hold the dustpan for me?"

She didn't want to see him cry.

The idle thought that came to her as she stared at his back became a solitary wish. More than anything, she hated seeing people cry, but it was different with Keitaro because everything was different with him. She saw him when he was happy and she saw him when he was sad, but she never actually saw him cry before.

That's why she prayed.

The girl that usually couldn't contain her energy clenched her eyes closed and silently prayed to every deity she could think of. She prayed that he didn't cry because she knew that, on the event that he did, she would as well.

His ruined art aside, the worst part about it was the injustice of it all. The blemish on his face, the bruise that couldn't be denied, put a name to the crime, but there was no mistaking what happened or who did it.

Naru got mad at him again.

Was that what she heard? Did it happen while she was with Kitsune? Did it happen before that? Should they have searched for him instead of just waiting in his room? Could she have stopped it?

If she had just thought to get her usual after midnight snack, then she could have stopped it. If she didn't isolate herself, then she could have done something about it.

The worst, the absolute worst, part about it was that she definitely could have done something and didn't even think to try.

Regret…

Someone that tried to live a life without any regrets couldn't ignore the one that seeped into her heart. Even though a chance that wasn't realized couldn't be missed, the tanned princess couldn't help but feel like she wronged him by not being there when he needed her help.

"Hey."

His voice brought her out of her musing, the dustpan he handed her something she accepted without question or complaint as he swept what was left of his art into a pile. With one solid sweep of the broom, his art made the complete transition from what it used to be to trash as he pushed the pile onto the dustpan Su held steady.

Something caught in her throat as she lifted the tray. She had to throw it away. Her eyes darted towards the garbage can, but her feet didn't move. She couldn't throw it away. She just couldn't pretend it was garbage when it clearly wasn't. There had to be a better way. It had to be a way to make him happy again. There had to be…

"Ah…"

The dustpan rattled out of her loose, trembling grip and returned to the floor. The sound, the impact of plastic on wood, made her jump. The bits of dirtied white scattered again. The pile he made turned into another mess.

Her heart was breaking…

"Keitaro Keitaro…" She didn't mean to drop it. "I'm s-sorry…" She was so close to crying that she could almost feel the tears before they came. She didn't need the hiccup in her voice of the touch of moisture on her face to know that she was weeping, though.

She knew she was crying because he was.

Even though a tear didn't spill from his eyes, she knew he was crying. Someone that was used to being unlucky, someone that always tried his best to be happy regardless of the things that happened, lifted his eyes up from the remains of his art and gave her the most comforting look he could muster. Keitaro smiled at her as he pushed his glasses back up.

"It's okay, Su."

It wasn't.

The things he told her with a smile that he held for her sake meant that he was far from okay, but she kept the things she wanted to say deep inside as she kneeled and put the tray back on the floor. Again, he forced the pile onto the dustpan and, again, she picked it up. She steeled herself, the conflicting feelings that made it too hard to talk quieted as she headed for and reached the garbage can.

As she emptied the dustpan, she heard the landlord give his thanks before he took his leave. Left behind by the man that wanted to be alone, Su turned towards the window. The sunlight that filtered through the blinds landed on the few scraps and pieces they missed. She slowly walked around picking them up one by one and deposited all of them in the garbage.

Except for one.

She didn't know what was on it. It was just another piece of paper with some lines on it, no bigger than the tip of her finger, but it was his art. It was something important to him so it was important to her.

"Naru…"

She let the name slip as she pocketed the last piece of his art.

How could she do something so horrible?

Faced with the outcome she dumped in the garbage, Su could only wonder how someone could do something so mean. How could the same woman that hugged her and cried be the same woman that tore up his drawings? Naru wasn't like that. She got angry over silly stuff, but she never did something like that before.

She didn't know why and, even if she did, she probably wouldn't understand.

More to the point, she didn't even want to know the complexities of the situation when she couldn't understand them. She didn't want to accept the reality, the fact that Keitaro was hopelessly hurt, was something she couldn't just break out a toolbox and fix like one of her machines.

She couldn't even do anything to help.

She didn't want to talk to Naru about it and Keitaro always went away when something really hurt him. She didn't want him to run away again, but, if she couldn't help, there had to be someone that could.

"You're up early, Su…" Shinobu yawned as she stalked into the kitchen with a sleepy smile and her uniform on. "You must have already finished your early morning-Ah?" She grinned, her eyes sparkling as she moved closer to the girl. "You were cleaning up!"

"Y-Yeah…" She rubbed at her eyes with her forearm before turning around.

Could she tell Shinobu?

"How embarrassing…" Shinobu bent, lowering herself just enough to look under the table. "Sempai spent all that time helping me clean up yesterday and I didn't even check up behind him. He always misses a spot or two. Thanks Su…" She rose to her full height and put her hands on her hips. "He would have been disappointed if he found out. He always works so hard."

"Shinobu," The cook was her best friend. She could tell her. If she couldn't tell anyone else, she could tell her. "Keitaro… He…"

"Huh?" The subject of the man she loved was always of interest. "He what?"

"He…"

Something gripped her.

"He was the one that cleaned up…"

The emotion that took hold of her heart eased up once she shared the half-truth. She couldn't explain it, but the chill that rattled her was enough to let her know that telling Shinobu wouldn't be good. She couldn't shake the feeling that telling her best friend would be one of the worst things that could possibly happen.

Still…

It was the first time she lied to Shinobu.

"Aww…" Shinobu sighed. "I was trying my best so he…" The cook trailed off on sight of the folder on the table. "No wonder." She fell into a soft smile as she reached for what she already knew was his portfolio. "If he was down here drawing then he probably couldn't help but see some spots we missed. Do you want to take a look before we start on break-Huh…?"

Su snatched the folder off the table before her friend could take hold of it.

"We shouldn't look at other people's things…" The princess brought the empty folder to her chest before brushing past Shinobu. "I'll go take it to his room."

"Oh…" Shinobu blushed on account of forgetting her manners. "Okay… I'll, uh, start then. I think I'll make sempai's favorite this morning since he helped me out so much."

Su looked down at the folder she held.

"I don't think he's coming to breakfast this morning."

0

Writing wasn't easy, but Motoko was used to doing difficult things. As someone that wanted to be a master in both liberal and martial arts, she studied and practiced until her skills were honed to the point that her standards were so high that it took considerable effort to find stuff she actually liked to read and forms she had yet to memorize.

Still, even she could be humbled sometimes.

"Motoko…" Kitsune sighed for the sixth time as she finished reading the rough draft. "Writing a story is more than just about the writing. If you don't have any emotion invested in it then, it'll just feel stale."

"I don't get it." Motoko lifted her fingers from her keyboard before looking over her shoulder. "You don't have any complaint about the actual writing, yet you say it's boring because it doesn't conform to what you think it should be?"

"I don't mean it that way." The older girl laid the printed chapter to the side. "I'm not saying anything like that. You just need to tie the characters into the story more. You know, make the reader identify with them a little or something. The way you have it now is okay, but it could be better. You want people to feel more invested in the story, especially in the first chapter."

"I see…" Motoko nodded, it was solid advice. "Are there any other problems?"

"Yeah…" Kitsune grinned before briefly paging through the draft. "It's too bad you didn't let me know you wanted to write a book or I could have helped iron out some stuff a long time ago."

"No offense, but I didn't figure you to be a literary genius." The swordswoman pushed away from the desk and the chair rolled away from it. "I'm glad that you survived your hangover enough to help."

"Aww…" She sighed, faking her disappointment as she let her shoulders droop. "I have to say that I'm a little sad you only thought to notice now."

"I'm serious. I knew you wrote articles, but I didn't expect you to know that much about writing." Motoko stood and pushed the chair back under the desk before walking over to the school uniform she had laid out on her futon. "It's a good thing I asked for your help."

"Ha… I'm just glad you asked for my opinion. It's really just because of all this studying I've been doing lately." Kitsune picked up the printed draft and stood up. "I'm not that smart though, Motoko. I just read a lot when I was a kid so I naturally got interested in it. I won't ever be an author or anything, but I do know a lil' bit about-"

"You need to stop doing that." Motoko slipped out of her pajamas before pulling her blouse on and slipping her arms through the sleeves. "You always say you can't do things I know you're capable of." The swordswoman said in response to the look her friend gave her. "I used to think you were just lazy but now that—Can you hand me that skirt hanging up behind you?" She nodded her head in thanks before continuing. "Now that I know the truth, I can tell how much you downplay your abilities."

"Su said something like that last night…" Kitsune walked by the closet and placed the stack of paper on the desk before pulling the chair back to take a seat. She smiled at the schoolgirl as she fastened the clasp on her skirt. "I'll have to say that I'm honestly kind of flattered."

"We're friends." Motoko reached for her stockings and sat down to put them on. "I know we had our differences, but I'm going to help you when I can. If all I can do is point something out, then I'll point it out."

"You don't have to do anything like that, you know…" She opened her eyes. "Forcing yourself to-"

"Listen to me, Kitsune." She formed her hair into a ponytail before reaching for the ribbon at her side. "I don't care if I have to force myself or not and I don't want you to think you have to stay away from us because you're with Keitaro. I'm…" She paused, the hands she used to tighten the bow she made stilled as she thought of how to explain how she felt. "I'm not… over what happened just yet, but I want us to be able to talk to each other. I want us to get over that."

"You know… I've always thought of you as a sister, Motoko." Kitsune spun around in the chair before leaning forward to get on eye level with the girl that sat on the futon. "It's the same way with the other girls. Y'all have always been my family in place of my real one and I didn't realize I was giving it all up by the way I was acting…"

"Your problem is that you always think about the mistakes you make. You keep thinking about stuff that has already happened." Motoko stood, checking herself out before reaching down to check the briefcase to make sure she had all her textbooks together. "Like I said, I'm your friend. We both said some things we didn't mean to each other and we're past that now. I want you to be happy because I care about you and… if he's with you then I won't have any complaints."

It was the same way she used to feel about Naru.

The Tokyo University hopeful went out of her way telling everyone that she didn't want to be with Keitaro when the truth was obvious to everyone except the landlord. Even though they had trouble wadding through each other's feelings, everyone was sure they'd find each other eventually so it was surprising when they didn't.

Keitaro looked another way and Naru…

No one knew what Naru was doing.

Motoko blinked. It was the first time she donated a thought to the older girl in about a week and she couldn't remember the last time she actually saw the brunette.

"Man, I wish you didn't have to go to school now." Kitsune rubbed the back of her neck, a brilliant smile stuck on her face as she looked up at the swordswoman. "Me and Su saved just enough for another-"

"Kitsune…" Motoko cut her off, her tone indicating she had something important to ask. "Have you talked to Naru?"

"Naru?" She shook her head, her smile fading as she recalled the last time she saw her former best friend. "She's been in her room a whole lot… so…"

"You need to go and see her now."

Motoko stared at her sheathed sword on the stand.

Bad things happened when people rested on idle feelings and Naru suppressed her true feelings for so long there was no telling what could happen if the situation wasn't resolved.

"I can't…"

The swordswoman spied Kitsune out the corner of her eye, the weakness in her voice evident by the way her sight stayed on the floor.

"Why not?"

She wanted to know so it was only logical to ask even if she suspected she already knew the reason. Kitsune and Naru used to be the best of friends. Everyone used to be on good terms with the brunette until it became apparent that their landlord was becoming more and more infatuated with her. At the time she didn't notice, but it was then that everyone slowly started to drift away from Naru. It wasn't like they stopped being friends with her. It was just that she was gradually making the transition from the Naru they knew to the girlfriend she not-so-secretly wanted to become so they all gave her enough room to change.

The thing about it was that she never changed.

Nothing changed.

She still managed to have the same ridiculous misunderstandings that led to the same stupid one-sided arguments. She was the only one that still ended up getting in his way and causing all those silly accidents. She was the only one that still had reasons to slap him upside the head and send him through walls.

Motoko let her face drop into her palm before she started shaking her head.

It had been years, _years_, but that was all their jumbled feelings amounted to?

It was sad and… pathetic.

"Because I'm happy."

The answer.

Motoko turned to face the girl that sat with her elbows on her knees, her chin resting on her palms as she calmly stared ahead. "I can't see her yet because I'm happy, Motoko." Kitsune sighed, it made her feel bad but it was the truth. She was glad that her best friend missed her chance. "It's not like I'd laugh in her face or anything, but I can't just burst into her room and act like I'm so sad that she missed her chance when I'm happy she did…"

"Just sit her down and talk with her the same way you-"

"It won't work like that." The Kitsune looked up, letting her hands fall to her lap as she lifted her head. "I mean, it's different with you Motoko. It'll be different with Shinobu, too, but that's because I felt bad about what happened. I did something really bad to both of you, but Naru… She got in her own way."

She was right.

In some shape or form, they all tried to promote the relationship but the woman that was supposed to benefit from the support gained nothing from it.

All the dates Kitsune tried to set them up on failed. The chores Motoko did so Keitaro would have time to spend with his steady partner didn't matter when there were always more landlord-shaped holes in the wall for him to repair. The feast Shinobu made for the picnic Su tried to get them to go on went to waste.

It was more than that…

The prize Mutsumi won in the largest watermelon contest, a cruise voyage for two, was still somewhere in Naru's room, the tickets she sent her friend still hidden under the fourth row of socks in the second draw.

The postcard from Sarah that wished Naru good luck with the idiot, the box of gifts that arrived from Molmol, the talk Haruka had with her nephew before she left, and…

The dinner he tried to offer Naru before she sent him flying.

All of it was for someone that denied herself what she really wanted just because she thought he'd always be there.

"I'm glad…"

Was it wrong? Was it bad to be so happy that Naru took Keitaro for granted? Was she supposed to feel good about the things that happened? About the things she did?

Naru used to be her best friend, the person that was the closest she ever came to having a real sister, and she did the best she could to pull Keitaro away from her in spite of that. She lied to Shinobu, she stopped Motoko, and, last night, she made sure to cut away at any lingering temptation Su might have felt.

She didn't have the right to do any of it, but she did it anyway.

It was wrong, but she feed the cook lies to keep her from stealing Keitaro away on the night she wanted him. It was dirty, but she intentionally and effectively got in Motoko's way to make sure Keitaro wasn't swayed. How could she walk around telling big Su what to do when she was guilty of the same in the past? How could someone that knowingly used to flirt with other girls' boyfriends walk around telling someone else not to mess with someone that was important to her?

What kind of person would wish with all of her heart that her friends, the same people she valued as her family, all came up short just so she could get ahead?

"I'm…"

Since she realized her feelings, could she think of herself as someone's friend? Did she even have the right to consider herself one?

She was just a hateful hypocrite, someone that would sit back and preach about what not to do when there wasn't anything for her to mess up. How did she become something so… disgusting? Pretending to be something she wasn't? Underestimating herself? The real Kitsune, the real Mitsune, was someone that only dragged down the people around her. The real Kitsune was the kind of woman that deserved to be hated. She was a lush. She was a tease and a flirt. She was the kind of woman that didn't let go of a grudge. She was the kind of woman that would steal a man from her best friend. She was the kind of person that…

"Stop."

"Wha…?"

"Stop crying…" Motoko watched the older girl dab at her eyes with a look of surprise on her face. "You have something to be happy about so don't cry."

"Ha…" Kitsune shot up from the chair and uttered a nervous laugh in attempt to shield the feelings that brought her to tears, but the sound of a briefcase landing on the floor meant that her friend saw through the lie that she didn't even get a chance to tell.

"Kitsune," Motoko forgot about breakfast and school as she neared her. She certainly had something to be happy about, but the look on her face that reflect as much. "It's more than that, isn't it?"

She shook her head.

"No, I…"

She couldn't tell anyone she hated herself.

"I… don't…" She lowered her head, her watery eyes averted as she tried to come up with something to say. She didn't want to tell anyone. "I… myself."

But she tried.

When she made the decision to be with Keitaro, she also made the decision to be on better terms with her friends and, if she wanted them to understand her, she had to talk to them.

Even if she didn't like what she had to say, even if she didn't want to tell anyone, she promised herself that she'd try to get on better terms with the people she loved and honesty was a necessary step in opening her heart.

"I don't… like…"

"I know." Motoko hugged her in an instant. "You don't have to say any more."

It was another similarity that rose to the surface.

"I'm the same way, Kitsune." Trying her best to be comforting, the swordswoman rubbed her hand up and down girl's back. "I know how it feels… I know."

It wasn't so much of hating herself. She hated what she became. There was a difference, one that the weeping woman didn't yet see, but Motoko knew perfectly well how she felt.

She used to hate the height that made her a head or two taller than the rest of the girls, she used to hate the way her eyes narrowed when she sunk into deep thought, she used to hate the way people literally ran away from her when she raised her hand to do anything, and the list went on.

Motoko hated the person she became, but not because she wanted to become something else. She liked who she was. It was what she was that became the subject of her loathing. She liked being strong, but she didn't like having muscles. She liked carrying a sword, but she didn't like watching people scamper out of her way.

She wanted to become more than what she was, but it was impossible for her to be anything else. She was already stern, already too serious, so she couldn't just wake up one day and start acting like the girls she saw at school.

She hated that.

She didn't want to be scary or cold. She liked to have fun just as much as the girls that put on makeup and went to karaoke. She liked to dance and she liked pretty things. It was just that she sword she carried, her duty, negated the things she liked to do so she could focus on what she had to do.

Until Keitaro called her beautiful…

She always thought of herself like that so it was like she stepped into a different world when he let the word slip from his lips. It was only then that she thought to notice that he was the only one that wasn't put off by her height. It was then that she realized that he never ran away from her unless she tried to make him do so.

"Keitaro helped me. He helped me a lot." Motoko smiled, her eyes sliding close as she thought back to the way the landlord made her feel. "I used to give him trouble, but he was the first person that looked past what I wanted people to see and saw me. He said… He said he loved me and I believed him."

That was why she loved him.

Kitsune quietly listened, slowly nodding along as the girl spoke.

"When we went out that night, he reminded me that people cared. He made me remember that people loved me, but I was too selfish to see what he was really talking about…" She sighed before moving back, withdrawing her arms as she backed away. "Anyway, he saw me and I already know he can see you so…" Motoko smiled before she turned around and picked back up her briefcase. She knew, better than anyone else, that Keitaro would be able to help Kitsune just as much as he helped her.

"Just go and see him."

Continued…

Next chapter:

Gray

"Kitsune… Do you know what my favorite color is?"


	14. Gray

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Fourteen

Gray

Shinobu was tired.

All she wanted to do was sleep the whole weekend away, something she was going to do until someone starting beating on her door. With a glance up at the clock on the wall and a sigh for her trouble, she slid from under the cover. The youngest tenant stretched, extending her arms high in the air as she brought her legs to the side of the bed and gingerly got up to see who needed what.

"Hey!" Kitsune, the gray-haired woman that appeared once she cracked open the door, gave her smile that was too warm to have in the morning. "Shinobu, can I-"

She slid the door back close and headed back towards her bed without missing a beat.

"C'mon Shinobu!"

She pulled back the sheets.

"Don't just shut the door in my face like that!" The older girl yelled, completely unaware that the girl she was trying to talk to had already started her return to the comfort of her bed. "You're not seriously going to do me like this, are you?!"

She could and she did.

Even though the pounding on her door didn't stop, Shinobu smiled before getting back in the bed and pulling the cover up and over her head. It was funny in a way. It was usually the other way around. It used to be her rushing around in the morning trying to get people up for breakfast. It used to be her trying her best to wash and dry clothes before it was time to leave, but she was through with doing things for them. If they wanted breakfast on the weekend, then they could make it themselves. She didn't care anymore.

If Kitsune wanted something to eat, then she'd have to make it herself or walk to the store. She wasn't going to get out of bed to help her with whatever she wanted to build or whatever, either.

"Seriously Shinobu!" The steady beat against her door stopped, but Kitsune stood her ground. "I just want to talk!"

She didn't care.

If she wanted to talk to someone, she already had sempai so she didn't need anyone else.

"Alright then…"

Shinobu briefly sat up to fluff her pillow back up, but she couldn't help but let her gaze fall on the door she locked. It was unlike Kitsune to give up so fast. In fact, it was downright suspicious but she didn't feel like thinking it over when all she wanted to do was lay back down and catch up on the rest she deserved.

"Keitaro, can you talk to her?"

Shinobu jumped out the bed so fast that she dragged the sheets with her to the door. She stepped out of them as she unlatched it, raking her mind for any viable excuse as she worked to get her door back open. If sempai saw her close the door in Kitsune's face, she had to have a good reason. She needed to come up with something that sounded right even if it ended up being a lie.

"Sempai, I was feeling kind of sick so… Oh…"

Keitaro wasn't the one in the doorway.

The woman she hated more than anyone else gave her the same sunny smile she did the first time the cook opened the door, but the foot she slid forward was put there to make sure the same thing didn't happen twice.

"You tricked me!"

"Nah," Kitsune nodded her head to the side. "Your sempai is right there."

Shinobu stuck her head out into the hallway and gasped. True to her word, her sempai was standing next to his self-proclaimed girlfriend. He gave her a timid wave before shifting around the planks of wood he was carrying, no doubt on his way to make another repair somewhere.

"So… can we come in now?" Kitsune adjusted her grip on the bag she had slung over her shoulder. "We weren't just passing by, you know."

"Um…" She watched the landlord adjust his hold on the boards. "Sure?"

"Don't sound so unsure." The older girl smiled as she took the invitation and walked straight into the cook's room with her boyfriend following close behind. "We're here for a good reason!"

Shinobu sighed. She really didn't feel like bothering with Kitsune, but she just couldn't tell her to leave when sempai was watching. If all she wanted to do was talk, she'd just nod her head and pretend to listen, but the way they headed right for the shelves on the other side of the room didn't sit well with her.

Kitsune strolled up to the plushy collection with a smile wide enough that it threatened to touch both her ears. It was incredibly cute, something she didn't even know about on account of not spending that much time in the girl's room before. "It's really cute. It fits you, Shinobu."

"That's what you wanted…?" Shinobu regarded the girl with tired eyes before shifting her gaze to the landlord that shared her secret. "Sempai told you?"

"It just slipped out while we were talking the other day…" He offered a smile even as he bowed his head in apology, but she knew he was sincere. "I'm sorry, Shinobu."

"I just had to see it." Kitsune brought the bag from over her shoulder and dumped the contents on the floor. Stuffed animals ranging from teddy bears to baby alligator pillows made a small, but plentiful pile in front of her. "I really did want to talk, but I had to do something when I heard you had something like this going on." She shook the bag a few times just to make sure it was empty before casting it off to the side. "Can you add these to your collection?"

Again, Shinobu looked away from Kitsune and turned her attention to her sempai. He told her about the collection, but not the significance of it? Was his girlfriend just too shallow to care? Either way, it didn't matter.

She didn't want anything from Kitsune.

"I want you to have more good memories." Kitsune kept her smile even though the cook didn't answer her question. "I know I messed up, but I want us to have fun with each other again."

Even before she thought to make a trip to the toy store, mending her relationship with Shinobu had been a priority. As awkward as it seemed, the hard part wasn't preparing herself for the eventual confrontation or anything like that. The most difficult part was just finding the time to catch her. When she wasn't at school, she was normally busying herself with cooking or cleaning and, when she wasn't doing either or those, she was usually sleep. With that in mind, it only made sense that she'd have to wait till the weekend.

But the girl she waited for didn't want to see her.

"Ha…"

Laughter…

Both Kitsune and Keitaro stopped what they were doing to look at the girl between them. Shinobu stared ahead, breaking eye contact with the woman that said something so ridiculous with a straight face. It was definitely the first time she laughed at one of her jokes, but it wasn't funny and it wasn't a joke.

"Are…" She laughed because she was struck by the sheer ignorance of it all, the thought that Kitsune was stupid enough to believe that something like that was supposed to make her happy easily the most insulting thing she experienced in her entire life. "Are you serious?"

She wasn't a child.

Kitsune took a deep breath. "Keitaro…" She was ready, the idea that everything would be alright as long as she gave it her best effort one that was just as slow to erode as her smile. "Can you go and get the hammer? I left it in your-"

"You think some… toys are supposed to make me happy?" Keitaro cringed, pausing to watch as Shinobu walked up to the woman she felt wronged her from the very beginning. She didn't care if he was listening or not anymore. It was one thing for Kitsune to try and talk to her, but she wouldn't let the woman insult her intelligence by making such an assumption. "You really think I'm going to jump up and down and get excited because you brought me something when I don't want anything from you?"

"Keitaro," Kitsune let her eyes rest on him as he started to lower the shelves he carried to the floor. She was trying to make him take the hint, but side of Shinobu he never saw before caught and absorbed his attention. "The hammer, I forgot that I-"

"No," Shinobu cut her off before looking over her shoulder at her favorite person. She noticed what the landlord did not. "Stay there, sempai." She'd show him first hand how despicable his girlfriend was. "Please ask her what she said to me. Ask her about the lies she told me."

She could have listened to whatever crap Kitsune wanted to say. She would have just nodded like she cared and went back to sleep the moment she was finished. That was something she could deal with. What she couldn't take was the thought that she'd be all smiles just because someone that she didn't like brought some toys. What she couldn't stand was the way the woman strolled into her room thinking that everything was going to be okay just because she brought sempai along.

She was just using him.

Again.

"Tell him."

"Kitsune…"

Keitaro cautiously gave her a look that prompted her to speak while Shinobu eagerly tapped her foot on the floor. Everything was starting to backfire, but it wasn't like she had a plan in the first place. All she wanted to do was patch things up with the cook and, while she knew it wasn't going to be simple, she didn't expect Shinobu of all people to turn the tables on her.

"I…" She sighed, her enthusiasm leaving with the breath she spent. It definitely wasn't going to be easy. "I said we were together. I said me and you were together, Keitaro."

"No!" Shinobu was adamant. It didn't mean anything if he didn't know. "Tell him exactly what you told me!"

"Shinobu…" Kitsune knew full well what she really said, but she was hoping from the bottom of her heart that the younger girl left it at just that. She averted her eyes, unable to look at either one of them as she made a small plea for her own sake. "Please…"

"_Tell him_!"

"I said we were…" Kitsune trailed off, closing her eyes so she wouldn't make the mistake of seeing his expression after she spoke. Shinobu wanted her to be blunt so she would. "I said we had sex with each other."

"Oh…"

Disappointment…

She didn't have to see it because she felt it.

She let him down again.

Keitaro looked at her for a second before turning away, his eyes lingering on her just as long as it took him to sigh. Even though he made an effort to hide it, it was clear that he was disappointed in her. The man that she never wanted to make feel that way let his sight fall to the floor, the hope he entered the room with leaving just as fast as the smile he tried to maintain.

"That's why I cried that whole night…" Shinobu advanced without looking behind her. "That's why I didn't go to school the next day. You." She stopped right in front of her antagonist, the woman that snatched her chance away, and pointed at her. "You did that to me so don't try to act like-"

"Shinobu, that's my fault."

The parade of hate was halted as she spun to face her sempai.

"She was trying to help me in her own way so… please don't get mad at her." He fixed his glasses on his face and lowered the hand he used to push them back up before continuing. "I was kind of being stretched thin since I had so many things going on, but I still should have been more honest with you."

Sempai was too kind…

"Kitsune," Shinobu could feel the tears coming, but she had nothing to hide from the man she loved. She let herself cry, the moisture that built in her eyes slowly starting to run down her face as she peeked over her shoulder at the woman that she hated. "You're so h-horrible…" She sobbed, before turning to bury her tear-streaked face into his shirt. "Letting s-sempai take all the blame for you… I hate you, Kitsune…"

Hands landed on her shoulder much the same way they did on a night she wished never happened. "I'm sorry, Shinobu." She trembled as he gripped her, the comforting touch that soothed her that night doing the same as he pulled her closer. "We all know it was a mistake, but she was just trying to help. Just like she's doing now, she was just trying her best so you have to give her a chance, okay?" He patted her on the head, somehow finding his smile in the midst of her tears. "Besides, you can't hate her… Did you forget that you were more worried than I was when she came down with that fever?"

She couldn't deny that.

Even though she didn't have much love for Kitsune, things changed when she realized the resident alcoholic needed some help. If she hated her, she wouldn't have stayed up the whole night on the event that sempai and Motoko requested her assistance. If she really hated Kitsune, she wouldn't have picked through the every cabinet in the kitchen looking for ingredients to make some kind of soup for her to eat.

"Shinobu… I…" Kitsune spoke then stopped, her head lowered as she realized there was nothing she could say except for what she originally planned to tell her. "I'm sorry…"

"Get out…" Shinobu didn't let go of her favorite person as she spoke, words she normally didn't have the courage to say coming out in a whisper that felt as loud as a scream. Even if sempai was right, she wasn't going to forgive her. "Take your toys and get out."

Glumly, she listened to the slow sound of the gifts being stuffed into the bag one by one until the only thing she heard aside from the landlord's breathing was the shuffle of footsteps and the closing of her door. Kitsune was gone, and Keitaro meant to follow her until it became clear the smallest tenant wasn't letting him go.

"You… can stay, sempai."

She couldn't save him from Kitsune or Motoko, but she could at least protect him within the confines of her room. It would have been easier if she was older. If she was older, bigger, and didn't have to go to school then she'd be perfect. She didn't hit him and he already said she was his role model. Her personality was fine so if he just admired her body a little more…

"You seemed really tired lately so I wanted to try cheering you up…" Someone that always looked more tired than she felt told her something that made her look up at him. "I didn't know you felt-"

"I… know."

She knew what he was trying to say and especially what he was trying to do. She knew simply because she knew him the best. Sempai was all about other people so he didn't care about taking responsibility for something that wasn't his fault.

"I know why you're covering for her."

"I wasn't lying, Shinobu." He shook his head even though she couldn't see the motion since her forehead was pressed into his shirt. "I was just saying what she didn't."

"I don't care…" She wasn't sleepy anymore, but she still felt… tired. "Sempai, I don't want you to cover for people. I want you to be happy and you…" She closed her eyes, the honesty she usually denied easy to share with the person she cared about the most. "You won't be happy with her."

"Ha, can't exactly see her making me more miserable."

"I'm serious! You know how she is so…" She let go of him, but, like the girl that already left, she didn't have the heart to look him in the eyes. "You should just wait on me…"

If he waited, she could be everything Kitsune was except better. She could learn how to be funny and sexy, but a drunk couldn't learn how to stop being lazy. Someone like Kitsune would never be enough for him.

"I'm not as smart as Naru…" She'd never get into Tokyo University. "I'm not as strong as Motoko…" Lifting a tray of food to put it in the oven was enough to make her short of breath sometimes. "I'm different. I know I don't have that many good points, but just give me some time and I will. I can be better than them if you give me time."

If she was older, he would have been interested in her. She only needed a few more years, too. She'd have longer legs and bigger breasts, but she'd still be the same. She'd still be the only one that always made it her duty to help him. She'd still be the cook, but it would be so much better if she was something more.

"I love you, sempai."

It was an obvious confession, one that she wore on her face every time she looked at him. Keitaro reacted with a nod, his expression defined by the smile he shared as he pushed his glasses up.

"You already know I love you, but…" His voice was light, free of inconsistent stuttering that used to plague his speech. He changed. Ever since he started spending time with Kitsune, he got more confident in himself. "I want to be with Kitsune. It isn't easy to explain, but I want you to understand so-"

"So you're saying it wouldn't matter if I older or if I looked better?"

"Everything about you matters to me, Shinobu." His quick response to a question she shouldn't have asked caused her to sigh. "I've always been flattered that you felt that way about me, but Kitsune…" He paused, thoughts of the woman he loved causing him to take his time. "I want to stay with her as long as she'll let me."

"Why?"

"Because I'm in love with her."

That was the difference.

A deep breath and another sigh were both things that came to the cook as she realized something she actually already knew. Sempai loved her. That was good, knowing as much always made her day a little brighter, but it paled in comparison to what she really wanted. She wanted him to be _in_ love with her, but she knew, almost from day one, that he wouldn't even meet her halfway. He never looked at her the same way she looked at him so, naturally, it only made sense that he never thought to have the kind of relationship she wanted.

"I understand…" Kitsune made it to the other side of the line. "I get it, but-"

"You're my role model, Shinobu." She looked up to find him picking up the shelves he left on the floor. "I think you're perfect the way you are so don't start thinking I don't like you because you're not like someone else. I care about how you are right now, remember?"

"Sempai, tell me why you don't want to be with me."

He was trying to let her down easy, but she wanted the truth and she wanted it to be blunt. If he was going to dance around the issue, she had no choice but to confront him on it even if she didn't know if her heart would survive the explanation.

They locked eyes. The girl that detested being a child and the man that usually felt like one looked at each other, both of them quietly gauging the other's feelings based on nothing more than body language. Shinobu grasped her arm at the elbow, pulling it close as she broke eye contact and turned her sight to the floor.

"It would have felt wrong."

Crushing honesty was all she wanted to hear, but it didn't make her feel any better. In fact, she felt several times worse than she did before. There would have been nothing wrong with them being together. Of course, they would have their detractors, but there was nothing wrong with a man and a woman loving each other regardless of age.

More than that, it wasn't like Motoko was a decade older than she was or something like that. It was like he drew the line right behind the swordswoman when only a couple of years separated them. Them being together wouldn't be wrong at all. The people who didn't condone their relationship wouldn't have necessarily been wrong for their opinion, either. What was wrong, though, was that the single man she believed would see past something so stupid instead got held back by it.

So if she was just a little older…

"You remember when you said you respected me?" He continued because of the blank look on her face. "I was trying so hard not to mess that up, that I never ever thought of you… like that. The first person to ever say something like that to me was so amazing that I always tried my best to not let her down."

A startling fact rose out of the misery she was ready to sink into. "I was the first person to really respect you, sempai?" She was completely taken by surprise. "_Me_?"

"Yeah," He smiled, taking a step back as he started his exit early. "I don't mean that I felt like the whole world hated me or anything. It's just that I felt like you was the first person that actually cared about me for real. Please don't take this the wrong way, but I never considered you being my girlfriend or anything… I was just always happy to have at least one person that cared."

"I just want you to be happy." Strangely, she felt neutral. Not happy. Not sad. She just felt worn out, like she was too tired to act on anything other than her feelings for the landlord. "I don't want anyone to hurt you… and I feel like Kitsune is going to-"

Locks of blue were rubbed in every which direction by the hand he laid on her head. Keitaro smiled after messing up her already messed up hair and backed away before turning around so he wouldn't hit her with the planks.

"Trust her."

It was all he said.

"Sempai…"

"Yes?" Keitaro stopped in the doorway without turning around, but she knew she had his full attention. He always listened to her. "What is it, Shinobu?"

"Um…" It was hard to ask after making such a scene, but he asked her to trust his girlfriend. If it was anyone else she would have laughed it off and tried to go back to sleep, but her sempai said it so she would put forth her best effort. "The shelves… Can you put them up for me?"

"Sure!" The landlord turned around so fast one of the longer planks almost crashed into the door frame. He was elated, so happy that she couldn't help but break into a smile as he rushed about for a second before putting the planks on the floor. "I'll get the hammer, but I think I…" He sounded a little subdued as he recalled where he left the level. "I think the level is still in Kitsune's room."

"I'll go and get it then."

They locked eyes again.

Keitaro stared at her, the glint of light reflecting off his glasses catching her in the eyes as she stepped forward to show that she was willing to be as strong as he was. She would face Kitsune and accept the gifts she misunderstood. She would say thank you and she would try as hard as she could to put what happened behind her, but, most importantly, she would ask Kitsune to take care of him.

She would ask, with all of her heart, that Kitsune take care of him.

"Shinobu…"

"Sempai…"

His smile.

As long as he could smile like that, she didn't have any regrets because she was the one that wanted him to be happy the most.

0

It was cold outside.

It was a belated observation, Kitsune figured, as she slowed to a stop and took a seat on the chilled stone steps that lead up to Hinata House. The breath she spent with her sigh couldn't be seen, but it was still cold enough for a chill to set in if she stayed out too long. She didn't care, though. Even if she hated being cold, she need some time out to think and some fresh air so a trip outside was something she needed to clear her mind.

But she was still cold.

Being human was all about being warm. It was the things that made people feel hot, the things that made people feel lively, that made living what it was supposed to be. Doing good stuff, being in love, helping people… She wanted to be a person that was warm all the time, but what was the point if she always ended up cold?

"I still don't like you…"

She whispered the words the younger girl left with her with, the callousness in her voice the only thing she needed to know that it'd be a long time before they saw eye to eye.

Kitsune leaned back, the steps biting into her back as she looked up at the overcast sky. She deserved to hear everything Shinobu had to say. She deserved to get punched by Motoko, too. With the way things turned out, it was no wonder why she wasn't so fast to approach Naru but the reasonable excuse was that she had other things to worry about.

Of course, her friends were important to her. She loved them. She didn't want to alienate them. It was just that she needed to start thinking about her own future. She made all those promises to herself and didn't follow up on a single one. She needed to start being proactive, but it was hard to make an improvement when she couldn't think of one.

Stop drinking?

She was never an alcoholic.

Stop messing around with boys so much?

She was never as big a tease as people made her out to be.

From her perspective, those were her biggest flaws. She did drink a little too much at times and she always did consider herself a flirt, but she laid off both way before she thought to become the landlord's girlfriend.

So what could she do?

It wasn't like one of those silly, cheesy romance movies where just being around would be the best thing she could do for him because just being around was all that she was doing in the first place. In fact, it was precisely because she just so happened to be around all the time that she found the chance to act on her feelings. Everyone else was busy with life, too preoccupied with the things she gave up for the sake of cheap thrills with no ambition of anything serious, so it was no wonder she felt like she was slipping behind.

Something heavy landed up on her and she quickly rose in alarm until she realized the heavy leather that covered her composed a jacket that belonged to the man she always had on her mind.

"I like taking care of you, but I don't want you to get sick again."

She was warm.

"I'm fine." Kitsune smiled, pulling the jacket a little closer as she patted the spot beside her. "I just needed to get out a little… Wanted some fresh air."

"Shinobu and I put up the shelves." Keitaro started before accepting her invitation and taking a seat on the steps. "She really liked what you brought, too. I know she said some stuff that-"

"When I…" Kitsune sighed again, the truth she needed to get off her chest something that was hard to get out of her throat as she looked up into the autumn night. "When I told all those lies to the girls, I wasn't doing it for your sake. I was doing it for mine."

"It wasn't to get back at them for how they treated me…" She continued, the need to share what bothered her something she knew he'd understand. "I just really wanted someone to be kind to me and to take care of me. I wanted to be with someone and it had to be you. It had to be, but I just wish I was more considerate. You know, more… careful."

"I used to feel that way about Naru." His girlfriend stiffened, but his touch relieved her of unnecessary fear. He rested his hand on her knee as he spoke, smiling if only to reaffirm that it was because he trusted her that he could speak about such things. "I wanted to be with her so bad. I don't exactly know why even now… I guess I just admired her a whole lot. I wanted to be relevant and if she noticed me—No, if she accepted me then I felt like I'd be a better person than I was before. Does that make sense?"

"It does." She answered softly, not in the mood to tease him as their eyes met. "You don't have to tell me if it bothers you, but what stopped you? When did you… give up on her?"

"Hmm…" He honestly couldn't recall just giving up on her. "It wasn't so much that I gave up. It was more of me just realizing that Naru was my friend and that was all that she wanted to be. It took me a while, but I eventually noticed that I was making her uncomfortable."

"Huh…?" Her eyebrow climbed on her face as she sat back up. Was he serious? "What do you mean you were making her uncomfortable?"

"I was trying too hard, I guess…" He took the time to turn his attention back to the sky, the slow moving grays and stationary blends of color painting the sunset before them as he spoke. "I kind of wish she would have just told me that she didn't see me like that, but I basically did the same thing to Shinobu." He shrugged before closing his eyes. "Must be a karma kind of thing."

Without a doubt, her boyfriend was still a little thick in the head but…

"If I told you Naru was really in love with you, would that change anything?"

She was, too.

All she had to do was just nod along with him and start talking about something else, but she couldn't let him believe in something that was so completely wrong. It wasn't fair. It wouldn't be fair to just let him think he wasted his time in pursuit of Naru simply because he didn't. What he did counted even if the end result was not what he hoped for at first. In fact, it was because of his tenacity that she originally found promise in him.

"Nope."

He was definitely an idiot.

Keitaro didn't stir, his reply just as solid as the smile that stayed on his face. His girlfriend stared at him with a mixture of wonder and awe. It wasn't like she was expecting him to abandon her or anything, but she knew she wasn't his ideal. She wasn't what he really wanted, but for him to say something like that so easily…

Kitsune leaned into her boyfriend just to rest her head on his shoulder and her hair brushed against him with the motion. An idle thought came to him as he turned towards her. "Kitsune…" He left his idle hand on her knee, but used the other to play in her hair. "Do you know what my favorite color is?"

"It's blue, isn't it?" She smiled as she scooted closer to him. "But if you say what I think you're about to say then I'm going to have to kiss you."

"It was blue." The deep, sensual hue of the ocean was once his favorite color, but there was another that was quickly taking its place. It was the color of his shading, the depth it added to his drawings something he quickly came to love. It was the color of clouds they looked at together even as it started to drizzle. It was the color of her hair. It was the color that reminded him of her. "It's orange now."

His girlfriend rolled her eyes before she groaned, obviously disappointed with his new color of choice. "Gee, you really know how to set the mood, Keitaro."

"Ha," He laughed a little, his amusement born from her agitation. "You know I have to tease you when I get the chance. Besides, you already know what it is."

She did.

It was her favorite color, too.

"So you want me to kiss you now," She was more than just warm. "or after I move my stuff in your room?"

"W-What?"

Continued…

Next chapter:

Draw

"He drew everyone else, but not me… He left _me_ out, Su. _Me_…"


	15. Draw

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Fifteen

Draw

Su didn't know Naru anymore.

It was an unsettling fact, the kind of thing she didn't like to think about even though it was true. The days, the very days that used to feel like seconds she blinked away, stretched on for what seemed like forever, but that was okay. It was okay because it gave her enough time to think. With ample time, even a mind that raced from bananas and fun to theories and formulas could settle down. She knew what she wanted to do and set out to do it. It was just like building a robot. Time and execution was all she needed, everything else would fall into place.

That was why the princess found herself in front of the door that belonged to the woman that she needed to see. Her plan? She was going to knock and ask Naru what was wrong. It couldn't get any simpler than that! Su managed a smile as she nodded in self-agreement, determination set in her eyes as she raised her hand and tapped her knuckles on the wood.

Being direct was always the best.

"Naru!" She knocked a little harder. "Hey, I wanted to ask-"

The door opened so fast that she that she almost knocked on Naru's chest, and it provided the opportunity the brunette was waiting for. In one smooth motion, Naru pulled Su into the confines of her room and slid the door back close.

"Um…" Su was caught off guard, but, instead of questioning why the older girl snatched her into the room, there were more important things she needed to ask. "Naru, I-"

The same woman she thought to question pulled her into a hug, and long strands of brown fell on top of small shoulders. "I…" She sucked in a breath before starting and slowly let it go. "I know why you're here, but believe me when I say I didn't mean for that to happen. I mean…" She crouched, just enough to get on eye level with her. "I didn't want it to happen like that. Believe me, Su."

She did.

The Naru that asked for her faith was the same one that hugged her like the world was ending. The Naru that tried to explain before they even started talking was the same one that cried on her shoulder just the other night.

That wasn't why she believed her, though.

It was her eyes.

Naru wasn't a liar and her eyes proved as much. They were a strong, fiery brown, the kind of eyes that screamed that she was too proud to lie and she was. Deep down, she knew she wasn't a liar. She never misled herself.

The hard part was telling other people, but she always knew the truth.

"He never understands me so…" It was hard to put it into words without sounding wrong so she just went ahead and said it. "I get mad. It's nothing new. I know I'm stubborn and I get angry when I don't get my way or get the things I want, but, when it comes to Keitaro, I get so…"

So what?

She trailed off, letting her incomplete thoughts wander on as she backed away from the younger girl. There was no secret about her feelings for the landlord. She loved him. That much was true, but it was something about him being with other women that infuriated her. It wasn't the constant misunderstandings or even the perverted mistakes that got on her nerves. It was just the thought, the idle thought, that he liked being with another woman more than he liked being with her.

She couldn't stand it.

"What did the others say?" Su looked up at the back Naru had turned to her. "They probably want me thrown out, huh?"

"No…" The same girl that tried to make start the day with a smile lapsed into the same expression she had when she threw away the art that was never trash. "Keitaro cleaned it up. Only we know what happened."

"Su, I…"

Love Keitaro.

"I love Keitaro." She said it without facing her visitor, but just saying it was enough for someone that always denied herself. The brunette allowed a smile, a small one, to come to her face in spite of all that happened. "I love him more than the other girls. I know what Motoko and Mitsune are trying to do. I just wanted to talk to him, to let him know how I felt, but things always end up like that…"

"Why?"

It was a childish question.

Did there always have to be a reason? Maybe it was just the way they were with each other, but she didn't want that. She wanted to be on good—No, she thought, she wanted to be on the best terms with him. Keitaro didn't belong to anyone and there was no monopoly on his being.

Besides, she knew he still loved her.

She still remembered when he said he did.

"Why did you do that to his art…?"

Naru snapped out of the daydream that sidetracked her. What Su asked was indeed childish, but they were valid and necessary questions that needed answers. Why was she like that with him? Why did she tear up something she knew was important to him? Why did she hit him? Why did she want to hit him again? Why did it make her so angry when he was happy with other people?

Why?

In quiet reflection, she realized the most childish thing was not even trying to answer even the most general of them. She didn't want to think about it, though. She didn't want to think about things that made her sad because she deserved to be happy! She was supposed to be happy so why's and how's didn't matter!

Still…

She remembered the trigger, the reason why she took her time tearing up every drawing to the point where it wouldn't be traced or replicated. There was a reason why she ripped apart every piece of his art she put her hands on and threw what remained on top of the artist.

"He…" Naru paused, the magnitude of the shock showing on her face as she visibly recalled checking each and every sheet. "He didn't draw me." For once, it wasn't so much that he didn't give her the most coveted place. What really hurt was the he never thought to include her. It didn't have to be something special, and she never expected as much, but being left out was too cruel. "He drew everyone else, but not me… He left _me_ out, Su." She brought her hand to her chest, crestfallen as she spun around to look her friend in the eyes. "_Me_."

Without even trying, the Su could see the raw hurt in her eyes.

Keitaro drew everyone. She never paged through his sketchbook, but, every now and then, she'd catch him drawing people. Occasionally she would sit with him and just watch him draw different scenes like Motoko training or Sarah playing with Haruka. Something she figured would be boring ended up being fun. They'd talk while he sketched about all sorts of things and, when he was finished, she'd be one of the first people to see his work complete. It was impossible to be left out since Keitaro went out of his way to include everyone.

That's why, on some level, she could understand why it bothered Naru so much.

"Did you ask him why?"

"Huh?" Another inquiry caught her off guard. "Ask him why he didn't include me?"

"Yeah," Su shook her head up and down. "Keitaro isn't mean. He wouldn't leave you out like that. He probably just didn't have them in the folder with him or he probably got a special Naru folder the same way I hope he got a special Su folder."

She never thought of it like that…

"Hey," She wasn't too sure about the idea, but it was the best thing that came to mind. "Let's go talk to Kei-"

"I can't…" Naru unconsciously edged away from the door. "I hate that I did that to him and I'm sorry, but I can't see him right now."

Hitting him was one thing. If that was all it was then it wouldn't be as hard to just walk over to him and apologize for her aggression, but that wasn't what happened. She meant to hurt him. For the first time, she didn't hit him just because she was playing around or because he was a pervert.

She wanted to hurt him as much as he hurt her. She destroyed his art because he loved it and she hurt him as much as she could because he was breaking her heart. There was no way to rationalize it. There was no way to laugh it off like she used to and wait for him to crawl back from wherever he landed so they could make up. Things wouldn't work like that anymore.

He wasn't going to forgive her.

She could wait as long as she wanted, but he wasn't going to come.

"Stop saying you can't, because you can!" Su cried. "Just try to-"

"I said no!" Naru started walking towards her bed and was only stopped by the small hand that latched onto her shirt. She spun around with fire in her eyes, ready to explain that no meant no. "I'm not-"

Su met fire with fire.

"If you don't go and talk to Keitaro, then I'll go and get him." It wasn't the iron grip on her shirt or even the chilling look in the girl's eyes that made Naru stop in place. It was her voice. The joy that Su embodied was found in the voice that sounded like music. When Su talked about anything, even about stuff that was far away from what most people considered common sense, her voice always contained the kind of cheer that made those around her excited. "He's with Shinobu right now, but-"

What Naru heard come from Su wasn't anything even remotely close to happy. What she heard had nothing to do with being so excited that you literally bounced off walls. What she heard had nothing to do with having so much fun that just waking up was enough to make you keep a smile for the rest of the day. The things she associated with Su weren't what she heard in her voice.

All she heard was a threat.

"Stop!" The brunette shook off the offending hand before resuming her march to the bed. "I just said I don't feel like it! I can't even think straight right now!"

Su deflated, her approach halted as her hand returned to her side. "I just feel like you won't ever do it if you don't do it now…"

"I'm going to do it, just not now." Naru plopped down on her bed. She dragged a hand down her face before deciding to apologize. "Look, I'm…" She hated that it was always so hard for her to say it properly. "I'm sorry for raising my voice, but… just believe me, okay?"

"I trust you, Naru but you have to promise."

"I promise."

With just that, Su was satisfied and seeing her smile did wonders for someone that was lonely. She wanted to pat the platinum blonde on the head for making her feel better, but the little princess was already on her way out and wishing her friend good luck.

There was no doubt that she was off to invest her time into her creations, and, because of a lack of better options, she was almost tempted to ask if she could join her. Almost. She was lonely and honestly wanted to find an excuse to leave her room, but she was tired, too.

She fell back on the bed and spread her arms out wide.

Naru sighed, a slow exhale spent lamenting over the circumstances that lead to all of her problems. She knew what Su was trying to say and, unconsciously, twisted it to suit herself. She didn't want to hear what anyone else, especially a child, say stuff she already knew. Even a fool could tell all she had to do was sit down and talk with him. What she needed was support. She needed someone to tell her that she could do it because she didn't feel like she could. She needed someone to tell her that she didn't have anything to worry about precisely because she was worried.

The lonesome brunette took her place on her bed and dabbed at her eyes. She wasn't going to cry. She was stronger than that. She wouldn't waste any time crying over getting backstabbed by the same people she thought of as friends. She didn't need any friends, anyway. Once she got into Tokyo University, they'd all be running up to her asking for help and she'd ignore every single one of them.

"If they don't care about me, then I don't care about them…" Naru draped her elbow over her eyes. She didn't feel like getting up to turn off the lights, and she needed to take a nap before going to cram school for the first time in nearly a week. "I'll show them, though…"

She was going to talk to Keitaro.

She was going to tell him that she loved him and then everything would go back to normal. No, she thought, it'd be even better than before. She wouldn't hit him anymore and he'd stop acting so dumb. They'll enroll in school and spend so much time together that they wouldn't even blush when people asked if they were dating.

After that, she'd try to patch things up the best she could… even if it'd be just for appearances. The rest of them could do whatever the hell they wanted as long as they didn't bother her or Keitaro. She didn't care about them. She couldn't remember the last time she spoke to Motoko or Mitsune, but it wasn't like she really wanted to see either one of them and thinking about Shinobu just made her angry.

They'd get what they deserved one day, but, as she drifted off to sleep, Naru couldn't help but wonder why Keitaro never thought to, at least, keep a drawing of her with the rest of the ones he had…

0

Shinobu was worried.

Her room was unbearably quiet. That by itself wasn't too far out of the ordinary. She liked for her room to be quiet considering it was supposed to be her haven away from the antics and needs of the other tenants so she had no complaints about the silence. What troubled her, though, was the young man that sat in front of her plushy collection.

The way he sat in the chair seemed uncomfortable. He was slumped over, his back meeting one armrest and his legs daggling over the other. With his sketchbook in his lap, he seemed ready to get to work, but his mechanical pencil was still tucked behind his ear.

Even though he entered her room almost an hour ago, he hadn't once started sketching.

"Sempai…"

"Yeah?" He responded without turning around, his attention centered on the collection she maintained as he spoke.

"Is something wrong?"

Shinobu wasn't trying to pry, but she knew that Keitaro respected her enough to tell her the truth. Even though he didn't outright say it, she knew in her heart that he wouldn't keep secrets from her anymore.

"No, I…" He sighed and sat up. "I really like the way you have the collection set up and the feeling I got from it is what made me want to draw, but I'm not getting what I want to get out of it."

"Um," She didn't know how to ask without sounding silly. "What are you trying to get out of it, sempai?"

"You." He said something that made her blush without any warning. "Those stuffed animals, the way you have them arranged, the reason why they're there, the story behind the collection… Every time I look up at it _I_ see Shinobu, but I can't draw it."

Shinobu hopped off her bed and made her way over to where he sat. True to his word, the sheet of drawing paper on his sketchbook was blank. It was odd. She saw him draw before and, every single time, he got started the moment he flipped over to a clean page.

"Is it anything I can do?" She didn't understand. Sempai was an excellent artist, something like a plushy collection was supposed to be a piece of cake. "I can rearrange them if you want me too."

"Ha, don't worry about it." He shook his head. The way it was already was fine. It didn't have anything to do with the way they were positioned, the lighting in the room, or anything like that. He already knew what the problem was, but the trouble came in the way of explaining it to worried girl already returning to his seat with a pillow for his back.

He wasn't seeing her collection from the right angle, but it wasn't a matter of perspective on paper. The problem was that what he felt, what he got from looking at the collection, wasn't something he could quite put on paper because there was only so much he knew about it. It wasn't that he had to understand and comprehend every single detail, but he did need enough to invoke the feeling he experienced in the people that saw his art.

His main objective when he drew, the true meaning behind his art, was to capture the feeling that was right there in front of him. If he just drew, all that would be on the paper would be a collection. What he wanted to capture was the feeling, what he wanted to have was a drawing that let people see Shinobu even though she wasn't in the scene at all.

"I know Kitsune gave you most of the new ones, but what about some of the older ones? What do some of those stand for?" Keitaro lifted his legs and swung around in his seat to bring them to the floor. He stood and walked over to the plushies and pointed at one. "Where did you go when you got this hippo? The tiger?"

The best way to understand was to ask.

If he didn't know, then all he had to do was find a way to know. When the questions were answered and the necessary perception was gained, the art that he loved could be created. As long as he understood, as long as he could translate what was in front of him, then he could draw.

The basis of his art was found in the depth of his understanding.

Just knowing enough to tell people through his art was enough for him. If someone could see a smile reflected in his drawing and feel like it really was a glimpse of something special then he did his job. All he was doing was just searching for the right feel and putting it on paper.

"It was a field trip a long time ago." Shinobu was surprised by the question, but she fondly recalled her first trip to the zoo. "All of 2-B went and we had a lot of fun. Sensei let us have ice cream after seeing the elephants, too. The tiger…" She tapped her foot on the floor, trying to her best to remember when and why she got it. "Hmm, I think—No, I remember! That was when Su made an airplane for the first time!" Shinobu starting to giggle, the pillow she held relenting as she squeezed it and started to laugh out loud. She wondered if Su still had that flight jacket somewhere. "Haha, I almost wish we could fly again."

That was what he wanted.

Without saying anything, he returned to his seat with haste and plucked the pencil from behind his ear. He sketched with abandon, the sound of Shinobu laughing filling his ears as he drew.

"I got the panda after everyone accepted that sempai should be the landlord…"

The sketch that was cast across an expanse of white started to become a drawing. Lines combines, shaped were defined, and his attention was focused on nothing more than the hand that set out to make his art and the voice of the girl that added to it.

"Kitsune gave me that baby crow." She paused, but he didn't. "It's just there right now, but she said she wanted me to help her learn how to make tea cakes… I think that'll be fun."

The details were gradually filled in.

The pink rabbit at the end of the top shelf was the biggest one she had, both of the floppy ears twice the length of the stubby arms and legs. He actually saw the turtle before outside her room. It was the same one Su chased Motoko around with once. Most of the collection were from the same maker, a fact that wasn't hard to deduce thanks to the similar style and label stitched into side, but a few were from a brand that were more realistic in their approach.

"That puppy…" It felt like he could practically hear her blush. "I g-got that after our date."

Keitaro honestly forgot how much he enjoyed drawing.

Ever since he lost all his drawings, he didn't know what he was going to do until Shinobu just so happened to catch him doing some chores. She asked if he still wanted to draw her collection and, even though he didn't feel like picking up a pencil for a while, he couldn't say no to her friendly invitation.

"Shinobu," He lifted his hand before looking over his shoulder. He was far from finished, but he knew that was no problem. Getting started was always the hardest part for him, but there was someone he had to thank for giving him the opportunity. "Thank you."

Did he know that gratitude was one of the reasons she loved him?

Sempai never failed to say those simple words to her and he was always grateful for her presence no matter what. It wasn't so much that everyone took her for granted. On the contrary, she often found that she was a liability outside of the house or the kitchen.

She was capable when it came to cooking and cleaning, but those were things she was used to doing. Academics didn't suit her, physical fitness was not her area of expertise, she wasn't exactly the most stunning girl around, and it wasn't like she was of much use to anyone. Shinobu knew she didn't exactly have the highest self-esteem, but sempai only had good things to say about her.

If Kitsune wasn't…

No, that wasn't the right way to think. She was happy that Keitaro had a special person even if it wasn't her. In a way, relieved that he had someone that could make him just as happy as he made her.

"Sempai, why did you start drawing?"

She always wondered why, but never voiced the question. Was he an artist before he came on that fateful day? Did he take up drawing after failing the test? Did he just up and decide to do it? Was that what he originally planned to study? Was one of his parents an artist? Why was he so good at it? How come she didn't notice before anyone else?

"Ha…" Her favorite person laughed meekly, he attention turned away from her as he started sketching again. "It was just a hobby at first. I really just did it to pass the time." It was nothing grandiose so the real story wasn't all that amazing. "Let's see… I think I started when I was about your age. I'll draw when I was in class. If I paid attention, I probably would have already been in Tokyo U, though."

"I don't think so." Shinobu commented before blanching and quickly shaking her head from side to side. "N-No! I didn't mean it like that! I mean I'm glad that you g-got good!"

"I know." Keitaro replied, grinning as he continued his sketch. "I can't really say I'm glad I didn't get into Tokyo U or anything, but I love drawing. It'd be nice if I could make some money doing it, but, even if it turns out I can't, I know that I'd be satisfied as long as I can get stuff like this on paper."

It really meant that much to him…

Shinobu gripped the pillow with all of her strength as something stirred in her heart.

It was a crease.

It was proof that her heart folded like a sheet of aluminum, the crease that was put in it something that could never be smoothed out. It was a wrinkle she made all by herself when she intentionally got in his way and stopped him from pursuing his dream on account of her feelings.

It was on that night that her heart folded, but it didn't break.

Keitaro wouldn't let it break.

So, as he happily sat in front of her sketching like he wouldn't get a chance to do it again, she quietly returned to her bed and watched from afar. She, out of all people, didn't deserve to be around him after doing something so terrible. How was she any better than the other girls when she did the absolute worst?

She already made peace with the fact that she wasn't going to be with him the way she wanted, but, after really thinking about it, did she ever really make up for what she did? Apologizing was one thing, but truly making up for what happened for something else entirely.

"I want to help you with your dream, sempai."

He already forgave the unforgivable, but she wouldn't be able to forgive herself until she saw his acceptance letter with her own eyes. If there was anything, _anything_, that she could do to help him get in then all he had to do was say the word.

Keitaro didn't respond at first, the finishing touches he was putting on the sketch required his full attention, but he heard her. He definitely heard her. With the shading penciled in and the shadows defined, the drawing became the art he wanted. He was finished, but, at the same time, he wasn't.

Her sempai stood from his chair, leaving his sketchbook and pencil in place as he took the few steps he needed to get closer to Shinobu's bed. The young girl looked up, anxious and ready to hear what he had to say. He only smiled as he held up the drawing before handing it to her.

"I want to say something cool like… Uh…" The landlord pushed his glasses back up and straightened his back. "Like…" He coughed into his hand to clear his throat and puffed his chest out. "You already did." Shinobu didn't respond, so he continued with his smile making a slow return. "It's true. You already helped me a lot."

She knew he was trying to cheer her up, but she couldn't even bring herself to fake a laugh. It was nice, she figured, that he could tell that she felt bad about what she did, but she didn't want to bring him down with her. She never liked to drag people down with her when it came to her feelings. If she was sad, then it was best that she be sad alone, but it was the one time she made the exception that she ended up hurting him possibly more than anyone else ever did before.

"This…" Keitaro, deciding to take a better approach, took a seat on her bed and nodded his head towards the sketch she held in her hands. "Drawing is important to me. I love drawing, but I care about you more than my art. I know you feel a little guilty, but we're passed that now. All that stuff happened a long time ago. Remember what I said?"

"That…" Her face started to heat up in spite of the conversation. "That I'm your r-role model?"

"Ha, I'm glad you remember that, but I guess I was a little too vague." He didn't want her to misunderstand the point he was trying to make so he had to come up with a decent way to get it across. "It's kinda hard to explain. I think the feelings that we have right now are the most important, but the present isn't. I'm not saying it's okay to be sad now or… uh…" Describing his philosophy wasn't easy, especially when he wasn't as smooth a talker as his girlfriend. "Let's see. It's a better way to put it, but I-"

"Sempai, I know what you're saying." She just got what he was trying to say and condensed it. "Let go of regrets because they're behind you and don't worry if things don't turn out well today because you can rely on tomorrow."

He blinked once and then twice before a smile settled on his face. "That sounds about right, but I always felt like it was important that we understand the feelings that we have now. I'm not the smartest guy around or anything, so I can't speak for anyone other than myself, but I feel like accepting and understanding those feelings are key to living without regrets." He turned towards her, confident in himself and happy that he found a way to explain. "I understood you." He remembered her face after she looked at the clock. "That night, I really understood someone for the first time…"

"Huh?" Her eyebrow arched as she turned away from the drawing she held and looked to her side. The way he said it made it clear that was what he meant when he said she helped him, but she still didn't see what he was getting at. "I…" She didn't have any idea how her revenge ended up helping him. "I don't get it."

"I was always so…" He didn't know the word he was looking for, but it came to him naturally. "Ha…" He chuckled at the person that he used to be. "I was always so half-hearted about things. It's not that I didn't try my best. I always did that much, but can I really say that when I wasn't risking anything?"

There was no doubt in her mind.

Her sempai had the right to say that he was trying his absolute best. She was the one that watched him scrub the floors from around the corner. She was the one that saw him sacrifice his free time to tackle the dishes she was going to do later. She was always the one that saw him working hard so no one else would have to pick up his slack.

"I remember when you slid the letter across the table. You were so ready for me to say I hated you that I didn't know what you were going to do when you found I already knew, but you were trying your best in your own-"

"Don't turn it around like that." Shinobu whispered, sighing as interrupted him. "Don't make it something so wonderful like that. Why?" She needed to know. "Why do you think that helped you?"

"Like I said, I understood…" Her sempai lost his easy going smile, but he was content. "When I found out that you wanted me to miss the review, I had to make a choice. It was an easy choice to make, but that was when I realized something. I never put myself on the line. I said I wanted to go to Tokyo U, but all I did was study and I didn't even really do it seriously. I wasn't studying. I was just reading over stuff and trying to absorb it without really learning. I never took it any further than that and just wishing that I got in."

Shinobu could feel that he was on the verge of saying what he wanted to say and put her hand on top of his. There was no intimacy in the act, only support. There was something he wanted to say, so she'd listen. She'd listen as much as she could because she wanted to understand him just as much as he understood her.

"I made an effort to be there for other people, but, when it came to what I wanted to do and the things that I liked, I was just wasting time."

The person that he was in the past couldn't compare to the Shinobu that thought she was going to be hated or the Motoko that was more than willing to compromise herself for his sake. Unlike him, they voluntarily stood up along with their intentions and found no fault with the fact that they could possibly end up being hurt. When he tried to get into Tokyo University, it was fair to say that he gave it his best shot, but, deep down, he never really expected to get in so he wasn't hurt when he failed.

It was simple.

The Keitaro, the man he used to be, was half-hearted in the sense that, although he certainly put forth his best effort, he always expected to lose in the end. That was why he was never really hurt by the outcome. In fact, it was only in hindsight that he realized that he was more embarrassed than disappointed he failed.

He stood up, the hand that was on top of his sliding away before he reached for and held it tight, and the eyes that never left his figure locked onto his back. "That night, I saw you Shinobu and I saw the person that I used to be… When all of this started, I thought that everything would go back to normal after Kitsune got bored with me, but that wasn't it at all! That was me accepting that I wasn't worth anything. That was me believing that I wasn't the kind of person that could be with anyone."

That was it.

That was what he was trying to say all along, that was the point he was trying to make since he they met on that night, and that was the similarity he was trying to get her to see. The Keitaro that sat across from her that night was not the same one she used to know. She knew that. She knew as much when they talked that night, but it was only after he told her what happened that she could see that the man that always told her she was important was the same one that recognized his own value.

The Keitaro that stood before her and understood the significance of their joined hands was the same person he always was except for the confidence that he invested in himself. He believed in himself, so he could believe in others. He trusted himself, so that he could trust others.

That was why his accidents stopped.

No one took his heart and no one could. All he did was give it to Kitsune. Of course, she didn't know the details or how he ultimately decided to open his heart to her, but the most important thing was that he alone made his decision.

That was why Kitsune was his girlfriend.

"Sempai…"

Shinobu was in awe, the mixed feelings that threatened to bring her to tears were blasted away by the man that was indirectly saying that she the reason he found promise in himself. The original intent was wrong, but she helped him. She helped him, but that wasn't why he was helping her.

"You didn't make me miss anything, Shinobu." He faced her without letting go of her hand. "I missed it because I wanted to be there for you. I wanted you to know that there was nothing wrong with wanting someone to care so I missed it on purpose."

Helping people was something he did naturally.

With the comfort of his hand in one of hers and his drawing on her lap, Shinobu gave him a smile that mirrored the aim of his art. There was something he always managed to say to her, but it wasn't her merely saying it back to him. She wanted to be like him so she'd say it the same way he did. She'd say it because she was grateful he was there. She'd say it because just him being with her was enough to make her happy.

"Thank you."

Continued…

Next chapter:

Condolence

"You… You made everything wrong…"


	16. Condolence

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Sixteen

Condolence

It wouldn't be fair to say that she didn't like studying because she absolutely hated it. Studying, sitting down in some quiet place and reading about stuff she could care less about, was boring first of all and, more than that, it was a waste of time. She didn't give a damn about pi and World History was synonymous with naptime.

If it weren't for her boyfriend she would have already been fast sleep.

"C'mon Kitsune," Keitaro returned to her room with a cup of tea and placed it on her heated table. "It's late, but I know a for fact that this stuff is on the test."

"Man…" Kitsune groaned as she lifted her face from the book she rested in. "I know. Believe me when I say I know this stuff is important, but I've been reading about stuff that happened more than fifty years ago for two hours straight. I feel like covering something else now."

"Nope." The landlord crossed his arms and stood his ground. "You always want to move on to something else when history—Gah!" He snatched his sight away from her pouting. "Don't give me that look, Kitsune… Let's at least finish this chapter, okay?"

"Nope." His girlfriend mimicked him, crossing her arms and teasing him with a smile. "I feel like taking a break and…" She looked at her wristwatch. "Oh wow! It's Keitaro Appreciation time!"

"You…" He started dryly. "You don't really have something like that, do you?"

"It'd be nice if I did." She slid from under the cover of her table and started to stand up. "Yeah, if I made it a set time everyday then you'd have to explain to people why I always steal you away an hour before midnight."

When it came to Kitsune, there were telltale signs when she was up to no good. Her crafty grin was the easiest to spot, but it was the way she talked that warned him she was slowly putting the pieces together in her mind. If he didn't stop her before she came up with her plot then Keitaro Appreciation time would be made into reality.

Just as fast as he stood his ground, Keitaro gave it up to save himself from further embarrassment. "Alright…" He sighed. "Take a break, but let's try to get finished before two o'clock in the morning this time."

"Sure, sure… It's not like I was planning on leaving the room anyway." She stopped in front of him and grinned. "I want to play with you for a little while."

The sultry look in her eyes promised a kiss, but she never liked to make it simple. Sometimes he still tensed, but there was nothing like resistance when she advanced. The arms she wrapped around his neck to bring him a little closer and the tongue that teased the corner of his mouth were just a prelude to what she really wanted to happen.

Kissing him…

It wasn't surprising that it was different than what she was used to. Hasty kisses stolen at the end of the night and sloppy tongue dueling was what she once considered the norm. The kind of kisses she read about in books, the kind where lovers would seem to pour themselves into each other, were something she thought was fantasy until Keitaro came into her life.

It took considerable time before he was even comfortable with her putting her lips on him, but, after getting over a few hurdles, she was granted the ravishing kisses she used to read about. It didn't have to be like that all the time, though. Sometimes it was just a peck to see him off, and sometimes it was the kind of kisses that left her out of breath.

It was that kind of diversity that was proof of their relationship.

Keitaro wasn't her friend with benefits or part-time lover. He was her one and only boyfriend. Even if he wasn't the best kisser and even if he did get apprehensive when she half-heartily pressed him for more, she treasured him more than anything else in her entire life.

"Keikei…" She breathed on his neck, being sure to press herself against him as she did so. "Everyone else is sleep so…"

She was perfectly content with what he gave her, but she was always a greedy woman at heart. There was a wild thought, a daydream even, that she had from the first moment her landlord made his presence known. Way before she loved him or even thought to consider him as someone to respect, she wanted to sleep with him.

Easy access was an understatement. She honestly couldn't predict if he would have folded or not on the event she really tried to get into his pants, but she only teased him on the basis that her best friend was in love with him. She didn't have any reason to hold back anymore. They were both adults and they didn't have any commitments to anyone else.

If they wanted to have sex…

No, if he wanted to have sex then she could make it happen.

"Kitsune…"

There was no hesitation in his eyes, but, briefly, she wondered what he could see in hers. Was it obvious how much she wanted him? Even if he could see her craving, it was impossible for him to really get how much she lusted after him. When she had him to herself, she wanted more. She always wanted more, so she had to do something before she made a mistake.

"Keitaro…" Kitsune cooed, her voice feeling like silk on his ears as she spoke. "How do you feel about… um…" She blushed, something that was rare for her. "How do you feel about sex?"

Surprise graced his features as a heavy blush crept onto his face as well. "I… I don't know." He was a virgin, of course. "I have never been with someone like that so… I really don't know."

"I…" She nearly gulped, suddenly feeling nervous on the eve of the proposition she wanted to make. How was she supposed to tell him that she could show him how good it felt? She didn't want to just throw it out there, but beating around the bush wouldn't do any good, either. "We can… do it. I mean, if you want to."

As someone that wasn't a stranger to intimacy she felt a little silly that she got so flustered just because she was talking to Keitaro, but, in a way, she didn't mind feeling like that. She didn't want him to feel like she was forcing him, so a solid refusal was much better than the alternative. She was taking things slow with him for good reason. It was better, much better, to be slow and relatively awkward instead of wrong.

She'll let him take as long as he needed.

"I thought you'd want to get married first."

Her arms fell from his neck as she took a quick step back from her boyfriend. She gawked at him in wordless shock, the mouth that was opened something she couldn't close on account of being rendered speechless.

Getting married…

She never thought about it.

Ever.

It was not so much that she didn't think of herself worthy of matrimony, but just the simple fact that she never paid much thought to things in the future. The concept felt magical in a way. Being married to him would be something out of a dream, but a pang of panic arrived with the thought. She wasn't ready. She couldn't look him in the eye when she still felt like she wasn't good enough for him.

Kitsune was sweating, something she noticed when he put a hand to her clammy skin. Keitaro said nothing as he touched her face before moving up to her hair. He played with it the same way he always did when they were alone. "I didn't mean to scare you, but you're that important to me, Kitsune."

"I…"

She took a deep breath. Motoko told her to talk to him, to tell him how she really felt, but she hated letting him down. The Kitsune he knew and the one she wanted him to see was a fountain of confidence, a woman that didn't take shit from anyone, and, in spite of what the other girls told her, she wanted to keep it that way.

As someone that held her true self at bay, she wanted to believe in the Kitsune, the same one that shed tears of joy on the first night she spent in Hinata House, that laughed it off when her best friend told her she liked Seta. She wanted to believe in the stronger her, but looking into the eyes of the man that accepted all of her shattered even the most unyielding of lies she told herself.

Another crack was put in the dam that she put around her heart, and truth started to seep through. She remembered, vividly, that she was scared shitless when she found herself in a city all by herself in a place she didn't know anything about. She would never forget reason behind her very first drink, the whiskey she almost spit out giving her warm respite from the laughable idea that she and her best friend liked the same person.

"I'd like that, but… I'm not ready yet." It felt like every time she tried to believe she was strong or was doing the right thing, it turned out that she really wasn't and, as long as she felt like that, she knew she wasn't ready. "I want to feel like I'm good enough for you and I still don't feel like I am yet."

She said it.

"Why?"

"Keitaro…" She sighed, backing away from him as she explained. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me, but I don't feel like I'm the best thing that happened to you. You always make me happy, but I feel like I'm dragging you down most of the time."

She told him.

"I kind of wanted to talk to you about that." Keitaro idly scratched at the side of his face as he spoke, hoping with half a mind that she wouldn't take offense. "Um, I noticed that you were trying to change, but you don't-"

"I do!" She was adamant about it, frustrated feeling rising to the forefront as she stared him down. "I'm trying to change because I know how I really am, Keitaro!" She always knew, deep down, what kind of woman she was, but having Su and Motoko shine a light on her character shook her enough to accept it. "I'm-

"I think it's kinda commendable that you're trying to change, but I'm just saying you don't have to do something like that. You don't have to go that far." The landlord interrupted her, his demeanor cutting through anything she thought to say. He was calm, his sight focused on his girlfriend as he gave her a smile. "I think you're fine the way you are, but I know you're pretty serious about it so… I just wanted to know what I could do to help."

"Nothing, really…" She was soothed, the help he was offering the very ground that their relationship was built on. Helping each other was important to her even if most of the assistance came in the form of his support instead of hers, but there wasn't much he could help her with in regards to her own ambitions. "I'm just trying to get better for you…"

"You're already the best to me, Kitsune." It felt like all the blood from her legs rushed to her face so her knees started to feel weak when her boyfriend said something that caught her off guard. She fell a little more than she sat down, but her boyfriend was all smiles as he watched her. Keitaro wasn't a romantic and he was far from a smooth talker, but his honesty naturally made him into both. "I know you're like me… I know you get sad and suffer by yourself because you don't want to bother anyone. Let me know when—Kitsune, h-hold that thought! I'll be right back!"

Confused, she motioned to get up as her boyfriend bolted out of her room, but opted to just stay where she was even though she did find herself wondering where his sudden excitement came from. It wasn't until he rushed back in with his sketchbook in hand that she got that he was struck by inspiration.

Kitsune was pleasantly surprised, an easy smile coming to her face as he leaned against a wall and put pencil to paper. It wasn't rare for him to stop her every so often so he could put another sketch in his collection, but she couldn't remember the last time he asked.

"You can talk to me about anything, Kitsune."

He didn't lift his eyes from his art.

"I know."

She always knew that he would lend an ear to whatever trouble she had, but the value of her relationship was the quiet understanding that created the comfort around them. Suddenly, she didn't feel so scared of him knowing how she really was because she suspected he already knew.

The first time she saw herself in a while was in his art, after all.

"After…" She turned away, keeping her smile as she looked down at the books and study guides spread around her table. "After the test, I t-think I'll be ready."

Did he get what she was trying to say?

"Kitsune…"

She didn't care about Tokyo University at first.

The only reason she thought to study was because it was time she could spend with Keitaro, but, as time dragged on, she started to remember that she actually loved learning the nuances of writing. When she was a girl, she always dreamed of writing a book about some kind of cheesy romance, but, after nearly dropping out, she abandoned any faith she put in academics.

She still didn't care much for other subjects, but sitting down and revisiting the skills she honed in high school ignited a fire inside her. It was definitely too early for her to think about writing a book, but she could easily make better articles and probably some short stories if she felt like it.

That was why the thought of taking some classes suddenly didn't seem so bad.

Being realistic, she knew that just writing wouldn't be enough to pull her through the test, but that was alright. It was just a practice exam and it wasn't like she had to pay to take it. Passing the test would be wonderful, but, even on the event she failed, the experience alone awakened the passion she had for writing when she was a kid.

Kitsune happily turned around and reached for the lukewarm cup of tea her boyfriend left on the table. "Alright, let's get finished with history before it gets too late."

"H-Hold up! I'm almost finished."

"Don't rush." His girlfriend nodded as she brought the drink to her lips. It was too sweet. He always put in too much sugar, but it was fine. "Take your time."

She liked the way his tea tasted.

Kitsune smiled before setting the cup back down.

"I'm not going anywhere."

0

Motoko quietly sat in front of her sword with her knees folded beneath her. Her thoughts were centered on her core, the vagueness in her being contributing to the one moment in the late evening when her focus was placed on nothing and everything at once.

She stirred, her eyes opening as something disturbed her meditation.

Someone was knocking on the door.

"Come in." She answered, not bothering to get up as she shut her eyes. "The door is open."

After the… situation with Keitaro was resolved, Motoko belatedly found that Hinata House and its tenants changed. That wasn't surprising given the nature of what happened, but the change in the residents definitely was. The was why jade eyes were opened once more when soft, yet bold footsteps started to cross her room.

Who was it?

There used to be a time when she could tell not only who it was, but also the way he or she felt before approaching her. Her sixth sense gave her nothing. Su, the girl that used to have a bounce in her step, suddenly seemed subdued, the steps she took lighter than used to be. Kitsune dragged her feet sometimes, but she was always confident when she had something to say. Naru always stomped at first, but ultimately ended up with the next step being softer than the last.

Process of elimination left her with the only other option.

"Motoko, I wanted to talk to you."

Shinobu…

The girl used to be afraid to intrude, the steps she took unreasonably slow just in case she decided to run away, but the swordswoman didn't need to hear her voice free of stutter or listen to poise in her footsteps to know that she changed.

The proof that the cook changed was the wound she inflicted on her heart.

"About what?"

"About Kitsune."

"Why?"

"Because she's with sempai."

There was no emotion, no pause to denote that either one of them cared about something else. It was a simple exchange. Motoko asked and Shinobu answered. There wasn't anything else to it.

"Leave her alone." Motoko closed her eyes again, finished with the brief conversation before it really started. "Keitaro said he loved her. He said he wanted to be with her so I won't hear anything else unless it comes from his mouth."

"No, that's…" Shinobu took another step forward, sighing as she approached someone she knew probably didn't want anything to do with her. "I know that, but I'm so… angry at Kitsune. I've never been this angry at anyone and… I just don't know what to do."

The swordswoman kept her silence, but she didn't turn the younger girl away.

"I…" Seeing that it was invitation to continue, the cook explained herself. "It's not like I dream of killing her or anything, but I think I hate her. I think I really hate her and I needed someone to talk to before I explode or something."

The deep green that gazed at her with muted feelings reminded Shinobu of a night when a women that felt like she didn't have any friends anymore tried to talk to her. That night, Kitsune turned to her the same way she was turning to Motoko. It was laughable, in a way, that things ended up coming full circle, but there wasn't anyone else that'd be able to help her.

The swordswoman continued to look over her shoulder at the girl and waited for their eyes to meet. Dark blue met dark green. She appraised the cook, watching her for a full minute and gauging her sincerity before she thought to speak.

"Apologize."

"For what?"

"I can't help you until you apologize for what you did to me." The audacity to even pose such a question was the sole reason for the anger that flashed across her face, but Motoko managed to retain her composure. "You… You made everything wrong…"

There was certainly a better way to word it, but it summed up exactly how she felt about the matter. Kitsune was someone that she hated at one point in her life, but Shinobu, the very first person she thought to comfort after she decided to be one with Keitaro, was the one that hurt her the most.

Shinobu was the one that stole the opportunity she had to make her dream come true, the one that added the last straw on top of a back filled with burdens, and that was the reason why she found herself unable to help the girl until she got the apology she rightfully deserved.

"I don't know what you're talking about…" She honestly didn't. "Kitsune was the one that-"

"No!" The steel in her voice cut through any denial as she turned to face the girl. "You were… You are the reason I'm sitting here alone right now. You stopped me, Shinobu. Kitsune confused him, but you, _you_, stopped me!"

"Don't talk to me like that…" She wasn't the only person that was pushed aside. "I got even with you, Motoko. When you came to my room, you didn't care about me. You just wanted to know what happened so you could get back at Kitsune!"

"I was angry, Shinobu!" After finding the girl in tears that night, it felt like she was in a nightmare. Kitsune stole Keitaro from her and she became a walking avatar of rage. She was sad that her friend was hurt, but, more than anything else, she was angry. She remembered locking herself inside her room to keep from drawing her sword on the woman. "The same way you were angry when knocked on the door!"

"Doesn't that mean you owe me an apology if I owe you one then!?"

"Shinobu," The air in the room changed as Motoko stood up, but it wasn't because she was mad. "I was there for you. Even if I was angry, I was there because I cared and I stayed because you were my friend. I…" She took a deep breath and let it out. Her voice softened just as much as her expression as she lifted a hand and held it out. "I already forgave you for what you did so just admit it was wrong, okay?"

It was an olive branch.

The woman that stood up was offering her peace even in the midst of the memories that stabbed her in an already wounded heart. She met Shinobu with intentions of telling the younger girl about her new relationship with Keitaro, but was met with the same heartache the cook experienced. They reacted differently, but they were there for each other that night.

What she did was nearly the opposite.

She met Motoko with the intention to hurt the person they both loved and she taunted the friend that tried to help her before. All by herself, she interrupted something special to Motoko and set up the date that broke her own heart.

"You're wro…" Shinobu trailed off, blinking as she abruptly understood what Motoko was trying to tell her.

She was wrong.

What she did wasn't getting even with the people that meant to hurt her. Getting even was matching a score with a score. Getting even was playing a practical joke on someone because he or she played one on you. What she did amounted to little more than just throwing her feelings, an intangible mess of emotion, on top of everyone. If she was miserable, then she didn't want other people to be happy in front of her. It was selfishness, a lofty word she threw at the other girls when she was the most envious of them all.

"You're right…" She admitted it without any fanfare, her sight falling to the floor as she averted her eyes. "I'm sorry, Motoko."

Without warning, the hand that the older girl extended took hold of the one the cook kept at her side. The swordswoman made the girl look up, the friendly smile she offered something that matched the warmth of the hand she held.

"I'm sorry, Shinobu."

That was all it took.

Friends smiled with each other as they shook hands, a relationship mended and an understanding reached as they quietly put the things that happened behind them. The new Shinobu didn't cry. She laughed a little, her soft chuckle betraying the eyes that watered as she found herself satisfied. The new Motoko knew how it felt to be angry enough to hurt someone and rose above the short temper she hated to help someone that needed her.

"I made up with Kitsune like this…" The shaking slowed to a stop, but Motoko didn't let go of her hand. "We stopped being nasty to each other and just decided to be friends again."

"That's Kitsune, though." She looked down at their joined hands, suddenly afraid to look the girl in the eyes as she spoke. "I'm bad at stuff like this."

"I think everyone is." The swordswoman let go of Shinobu, a thoughtful look coming to her face as she gestured for the girl to take a seat. "It's difficult to swallow hard feelings and look pass any adversity, but I think it makes us stronger than we were before. I… I wasn't fond of Kitsune for a few weeks, but now we're better friends than we ever were. I feel like I understand Keitaro better, too."

"I guess… I do, too." The cook nodded, her dark blue hair moving with the motion as she sat down on one of the cushions Motoko had laid out. "Like I was saying, Kitsune is kind of touchy to me. She's alright sometimes, but I get really angry at her when I see her with sempai. She always looks so happy and I… I don't know what to do with myself sometimes."

"When I get angry, I train." She didn't have any reason to hide it. "I utilize my anger to put forth a greater effort. You need to find an outlet. Is there anything you want to do?"

"Well… um… I'd like to draw."

"Like Keitaro?"

"N-No," Motoko smiled, she could see flashes of the shy girl that fainted when things got too heated. "I'll never be that good, but I want to try my hand at it, but I don't want to, um, channel my anger into art… I want it to be happy like sempai's."

"If you don't want to use that feeling towards something, then you have to address what makes you feel that way, Shinobu." The swordswoman returned to where she was seated earlier and picked up the sheathed sword from where she left it on the floor. "You have to find out what makes you mad, ask yourself why, and do something about it…" She put the sword back on its stand. "Before you make a mistake."

"Did… you make a mistake with Kitsune, Motoko?"

She had her suspicions.

Motoko and Kitsune were never on good terms even before Kitsune went out with him. They got into frequent arguments, but just seeing Motoko stomp through Hinata House with a scowl deep enough to scare ghosts was enough for her to know things were approaching another level until they were suddenly friends again.

"Promise me you won't tell Keitaro."

Shinobu looked at the shoulders that trembled and knew, before she even said anything, that she'd never speak a word of what she was about to hear. A friend was trying to help her learn a lesson from her own mistake, so it was a promise made long before the cook nodded and spoke.

"I won't."

Continued…

Next chapter:

Go

"But… you tore up his art…"


	17. Go

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Chapter Seventeen

Go

Naru smiled at the woman she saw in the mirror. She was beautiful, the clothes she wore serving to highlight the fact she already knew. A modest, pleated skirt in place of faded blue jeans and a simple blouse instead of a sweater two sizes too big complimented a woman that didn't mind putting on her nice clothes from time to time.

The Tokyo University hopeful adjusted herself, tugging down at her shirt tail as she looked at her reflection. She had a delicate expression, a tender smile that didn't at all match the sharpness in her eyes. She wasn't the same person she used to be. The long hair she always loved was free, the knot of braids she normally tied her hair in something she abandoned along with the silly glasses she didn't need.

Her days of dressing down to appease what little regard she had for men were behind her. She was going to wear what she wanted and she was going to look good doing it. The boys at cram school could hit on her all they liked. The teachers that gawked at her could keep up with their leering. She didn't care anymore. There was only one man she was dressing up for and she was going to make him notice her.

Keitaro…

Naru shut her eyes before lapsing into a moment of silence. All she ever wanted him to do was see her for who she really was, but, no matter how hard she tried, things always ended up so far away from what she really wanted that it literally made her sick.

She was tired of hurting him, so she'll stop.

From the bottom of her heart, she swore she was done with anything of the sort. She promised herself that she wouldn't hit him anymore and insults were something she left in the past.

She opened her eyes, her oath bringing a real smile to her face as she moved away from the mirror and towards her table. There wasn't much she needed. It wouldn't hurt to take her study guide with her, but, while it would be nice to brush up on some stuff in transit, she didn't feel like lugging it around. They provided things like pencils and erasers so she didn't have to worry about that. It wasn't like it was her first time. She chuckled, she was thinking too much. All she needed was a few yen for bus fare and probably a little bit more than usual in case she wanted something out of the vending machine.

Naru picked through the purse she left on the table, pulled out the few things she wanted to take, and stuffed it all in her pocket before rising to her full height.

Though she wasn't slow to glance at the lipstick and eyeliner on her desk, she decided her preparation was complete.

She didn't need any make-up.

Keitaro was someone that appreciated natural beauty, and there was nothing physically or emotionally fake about her. She didn't have the grace of a certain swordswoman and she wasn't as comfortable as a certain vixen with being all touchy-feely, but, at the very least, she knew herself.

Naru knew she had a tendency to be a bitch from the very beginning. It was bad, even a kid knew that much, but she accepted that side of herself a long time ago. She accepted herself so the hard part was always getting others to do the same. At the end of the day, though, she could say she was okay with the woman she was and she knew for a fact that the other girls couldn't.

Mitsune was a thieving slut, Motoko was a hypocrite, and Shinobu was a backstabbing brat. A pang of regret registered in her conscience and she dismissed it, burning it away with the anger that made her ball up the money she had in her pocket. Her sole regret was not being able to see them for what they really were. They were no better than the boys that undressed her with their eyes and the men that approached her with small talk under the pretext of something else.

Everyone always tried to use her.

The girls she used to think of as her closest friends were only around her for their own satisfaction. They didn't give a damn how she felt. If they needed help with their studies, they'd get their answers and leave. If Kitsune was a few yen short for whatever ridiculous gamble she wanted to make, the first person she asked wasn't the landlord or his aunt.

Taking her for granted was just one thing, though…

Trying to take Keitaro from her was entirely a different story.

Strangely, the rage that usually came with the thought arrived in the form of a calm that stole the scowl from her face. There was no reason to get mad. She was going to tell them that Keitaro belonged to her and she was going to make everything right again.

The brunette held her head up high with conviction and strolled out of her room and down the steps. Even though her heart pounded in her chest, she had nothing to fear. All she was going to do was tell them the truth. Keitaro said he loved her so she would tell them as much so they would stop bothering him.

Her chance came faster than she expected.

All she wanted was a light snack, but the conversation she heard from the kitchen prompted her to creep close enough to listen before she just barged in.

"…scared the hell out of him!" It was Mitsune. "I laughed so hard I thought I was going to die!"

"You should have seen Motoko's face!" Shinobu was still laughing, mirth still found in the girl's voice as she spoke. "I thought she was going to cut it in half!"

Naru edged closer, the kitchen and the girls within coming into sight as she watched from afar. They were spread out, most of them around the table as they prepared for what looked like a party. As the swordswoman hastily denied whatever Shinobu accused her of doing, the brunette found herself looking at the simple decorations that adorned the room.

While most of them consisted of the cheap stuff they always pulled out for celebration, the one thing that caught her attention was the banner above the doorway.

"Good luck…"

Naru whispered the characters she read off what was clearly a manufactured banner, but the feeling it invoked in her heart couldn't be faked. She knew what it meant. The only thing penciled in on the calendar was the practice test so the warmth that smothered her resolve was the same thing that soothed a woman ready to burn bridges.

"I couldn't have made it if it doesn't have a banana detector!" She didn't need to see the princess to feel the sunshine that was her personality. She moved closer. Su was the furthest from the table, her back to Naru as she inspected the dishwasher. "It doesn't even have any weapons!"

"I still can't believe you forgot." Kitsune finished setting the plates on the table and started to take off the apron Naru never saw her wear before. "I paid you with enough bananas to last you a lifetime, remember?"

The tanned girl crouched, her concentration divided between trying to remember the payoff and her recollection of making a dishwasher that she never used. "Hmm…" No one could see her face, but it was easy to picture the inquisitive expression she always had when it came to her inventions. "I believe you, Kitsune." Su nodded, her arms crossed as she stood back up and turned around. "I guess I made it, but it could be better than…" She trailed off when she locked eyes with the onlooker, the rest of the girls noticing as much as they, too, stopped the side conversations and followed the princess' line of sight to the doorway.

With no reason to hide, the brunette stepped into the kitchen and let her eyes run across everyone inside.

Su stayed right where she was and openly stared at her before breaking into a smile. It was all too easy to figure out that the princess was glad that she left her room and thought to join them.

Shinobu was a step away from her best friend, the surprise that registered on her face the reason why her hands became idle. Their eyes met. The girl that used to avert her eyes every time she even thought she was staring gazed back with a callousness that didn't match the cook she used to know.

Instead of watching the girl return to drying dishes, she turned to look at other two.

Motoko and Kitsune sat next to each other. The former gave her a long, hard look, tilting her head a little as she gazed at the woman that showed herself for the first time in what had to be weeks. The latter looked up for a second before quickly looking away, her sight lowered to the apron that rested on the table in front of her.

She wasn't sure what to make out from the range of expressions she was met with, but the first person to speak to her was happy to see her. "Hi Naru!" Su was the only one that rushed up to her. "You look great!"

The brunette blushed. "T-Thanks."

"Um…" Su wasn't sure how to bring it up, but, as she watched Naru look around the recently decorated kitchen, she figured that being direct was always the best. "We're having a Good Luck party, but we didn't know if you'd want to come or not…"

"I… wouldn't mind."

It was the truth.

Even with their differences, even with all that happened, it didn't mean that she was adverse to any attempt to smooth things over. There was no doubt that she wouldn't see the girls in the same light again, but that didn't mean she wouldn't welcome them back into her heart if they extended the same courtesy she did.

"Then…" Su smiled, the small hand she held out a promise that would be made on the event of contact. "Let's have fun."

Naru hesitated, the hand she meant to lift the same one that regretfully stayed at her side. It was the same thing she always did on the eve of a good time, the same thing she always did because she was scared to test the water when she didn't already know how it felt.

She wasn't someone that was scared of new things.

She was a woman terrified of them.

Deep down, she knew the reason why she didn't nod and meet her friend with a smile was because felt so out of place that she didn't know what to do. Her first instinct was to run away from atmosphere that started to weigh on her. It was heavy, the feeling that she was walking on eggshells on top of eggshells magnified by the girls that stared at her without uttering a single word. It was stifling. The way they looked at her and the uncomfortable web of emotion she caught herself in prompted her to speak before the silence started to strangle her.

"Where's Keitaro?"

She blurted out the question, but she really did wanted to know where he was.

"Sempai went to see an admissions advisor." Shinobu felt herself smiling as she recalled wishing her sempai good luck. "He told us to start without him."

There was something else she needed to ask.

"So…" There was only one way to make sure. "Is this party for me?"

Shinobu laughed, but it sounded nothing like the amusement she shared with the others. Motoko glared at the younger girl before opting to speak in her stead. "Yes." The swordswoman answered carefully. "It's for you and Kitsune. I suppose we can fit Keitaro into the equation as well even if he's not here."

"Huh? Mitsune…?" Her sight landed on the woman that never thought to look her in the eyes. Kitsune kept her head low, clearly putting more effort than need be into folding up the apron she took off. It wasn't like her to be quiet. In fact, it wasn't like her at all. "What happened?"

"You didn't know?" The hint of surprise that graced Motoko's features was noted in the slight rise of her eyebrow. "She's going to take the practice exam with you…"

That was news to her.

One of the chairs scratched across the floor as Naru pulled the seat from under the table and dropped into it in mild amusement. She put an elbow on the table and let her chin rest on her palm, smiling as she waited for Mitsune to look at her.

Even if they weren't friends anymore, she had to hear what kind of scheme the vixen was drawing up. The loops she used to get Keitaro to jump through were impressive, more so considering that most of her plans were things she came up with on the fly. Knowing as much, Naru had to find out exactly how taking the test fit into the picture.

"Why?"

"There's no one reason…" The woman that sat opposite her spoke to her for the first time in weeks. "Well, I…" She sighed, ultimately deciding that it was only one way to explain herself in a way that they all would understand. "It's because of Keitaro."

The sole reason she was slow to look at Naru was only because she didn't want to catch sight of the expression that was right in front of her, but, as the person that knew her the best, there was no avoiding it.

With her sight falling squarely to the apron she set aside, she could still see Naru's expression in her mind. She was hurt and didn't understand why, the pained look on her face lingering for only a second or two before being eclipsed by stoic cynicism. Even after everything that happened, she still didn't understand the reason why she felt that way, but it was so obvious that it made the people around her frustrated.

It was because she tried so hard to fool everyone else that she ended up confused about her own feelings concerning the landlord. After being caught off guard, it wasn't rare for her to fake a laugh or try to pass it off like she didn't care so Kitsune waited to see if anything changed.

"Ha…" It was like clockwork, a sign that the woman that put herself in solitude learned nothing from it. "So what is it this time? Pass the test and you don't have to pay rent next month?"

"It's because I love him, Naru." There was no reason to feel sorry for herself or anyone else. The landlord was her boyfriend and she was proud to be in a relationship with him. She wouldn't make light of the fact just to avoid the confrontation she knew was coming. "I'm going to going to enroll after I pass and I'm going to become an journalist. A real one."

At first, it was something that was closer to being a dream instead of an actual goal. It was always nice to have silly daydreams of her articles being featured in newspapers and magazines alike, but the thought of such becoming a reality was silly for someone like her. It wasn't until she had someone supporting her, someone that was there to cheer her on, that she thought to realize that she could reach her dream if she put forth the necessary effort.

Kitsune was determined, her eyes radiating with the confidence that the landlord inspired in her. Naru blinked before looking away, shock marring her features just long enough for everyone to see the impact the truth had on her.

"That's…" The feeling of inadequacy started to set in, the same feeling that always plagued her when she matched herself up to any of the other girls. "What…?"

She was the one that wanted to calmly sit down and tell them how Keitaro felt about her, but even that much was stolen from her. Every time she tried to do something for her own relationship with the landlord, they always found a way to one up her.

That was why she got angry.

"I'm tired of this…" She blasted away her confusion with nothing more than idle rage, the hate she sat on for the greater part of a month starting to surface as she slumped forward in her seat. "I'm tired of all of you trying to steal him away from me."

"Nobody is stealing anything." Kitsune was quick to respond, the feeling that was supposed to arrive with the onset of a party something that was absent on the eve of an argument. "It's not like Keitaro is leaving or anything, Naru…"

"He said he loved me…" She felt small, insignificantly small, as she shared the secret she locked inside her heart. Couldn't they understand that he already had a person that was supposed to be with him? Couldn't they see that what they were trying to do could only amount to cheating? "I'm the one he-"

"So?" Shinobu didn't bother to turn around as she finished putting the dishes in the cabinet. The cook held back everything else she wanted to say as she opened the oven to check on the cake, but she couldn't stand to listen to any rhetoric Naru wanted to muster. "He said he loved all of us, but-"

"So!?" Naru cut her off, more than angry as she stood up and looked around the kitchen. "I'm telling you he said he loved me so all of you need to leave him alone! I don't know what I did to make all of you gang up on me like this, but leave Keitaro out of it!"

"Naru, listen…" Kitsune kept her eyes closed, but she wasn't frustrated or even angry. In a way she was glad that Naru finally found it in herself to admit her feelings in at least some form, but that didn't have anything to do with the present circumstances. "Keitaro is my boyfriend now and we love each other. I know it's sudden, but… let's talk about this later, okay? The test is in a few hours and-"

"Forget the test!" Naru slammed her fist onto the table, rocking the plates that were already set out. "Keitaro is mine! He's mine so-"

"Sempai doesn't belong to you!" Shinobu honestly tried to keep her calm, but she couldn't be like Motoko and Kitsune and just hear Naru out. She always made herself out to be the victim when everything was her fault. "I already told you that you're just mad you missed your chance to-"

"Shut the fuck up, Shinobu!" Naru looked over her shoulder with fire in her eyes. "You think I'll listen to you after you kept forgetting my dinner, huh?! You think I forgot about that?!"

"You should be grateful I made you a plate at all!" Someone that had all the time in the world to be with her sempai and only played around with him didn't deserve anything from her in the first place! "I always set out a plate for you! Maybe they wouldn't have disappeared if you came to dinner instead of waiting on sempai to bring everything to you!"

"He never brought anything to me!"

"Whose fault is that?!"

"Enough!" Motoko yelled, her eyebrows dipping as she exchanged looks with both of the girls from where she sat. After the silence returned, she stood and wasted no time in trying to put the fractured peace back together. "Shinobu…" The disappointment in her voice made the cook feel like an anvil was dropped on her. "I told you what happens when you can't control your temper."

"Yeah…" Shinobu sighed before turning to face the oven, but she still didn't have it in her to apologize.

"And Naru," The swordswoman stared at the woman across the table. "What did you come down here to do? Are you here to argue or-"

"I just want to know why." Naru didn't give herself time to think or doubt herself. She spoke from the heart, the calm she needed something that came from Motoko's level voice. "Tell me why everyone started making moves on Keitaro…"

"Because you're not the only one that likes him, Naru." Kitsune replied as quietly Shinobu retrieved the cake for a party that was already ruined. "What did you think was going to happen when he stopped chasing after you all the time?"

Unforgivable…

No matter if it was from a former best friend or not, that question was something she could never forgive. Mitsune, just like Keitaro, just like all of them, never saw how much or how hard she tried to make things work.

It was their ignorance that became the bullet that killed any chance for her to see eye to eye with any of them ever again, but it was the notion that she didn't do anything for the man she loved that severed any lingering feelings for the girls she used to consider the very best of friends.

Something inside her, something too dark and too thick to be summed up as hate, started to seep into her conscience. It was more than just rage, more than just a bitter mix of feelings that possessed and overwhelmed the woman that didn't even notice she slapped a plate off the table until she heard it break into pieces on the floor.

"I came here to tell you backstabbers that I'm glad none of you are really my friends because I don't have any problem with taking Keitaro back from any single one of you."

She didn't know what she was saying.

"I could see it in your eyes…" The anger that was once hotter than lightening became something colder, something crueler. "Every time you looked at him you wanted to say sorry, but you were too proud to apologize so you thought the only way you could do it was with your body."

Again, heads turned for the wrong reasons as everyone looked at the girl that hated being looked at. Motoko left her hand on the hilt of her of her sword, something she always did when she started to feel nervous. "I…" On some level she knew the best course of action was deny it as much as possible, but she knew, even though it shamed her, there was more than a fragment of truth in what she said. "He…"

"I don't want to hear it." Naru already knew she was right. "And _you_." She left Motoko to wallow in her feelings as she turned towards the woman that became her prime antagonist. "You slut. Don't sit there like you're any better. Tell me how it started. Did you let him feel you up or did you just stick your hand down his pants?"

"Naru…" Kitsune stayed in her seat and looked up at her. When she was ready to talk things out, then she'd be there for her. She promised herself as much, but she wasn't going let herself, or anyone else for that matter, play the part of a punching bag. "If you're going to be like that, then you can leave."

"Leave?" The brunette sat back down into the chair she was sitting in and crossed her arms. "What about the party? Things are just getting started after all. Hey Su," She waved a hand at the princess that quietly watched the exchange from the other side of the room. "Get us some drinks."

"O-Okay."

"You don't have to do that, Su." Kitsune opened her eyes and looked at the younger girl, forcing her to stop before she took another step towards the refrigerator. "It's almost time for us to-"

"Not at all." Naru drummed her fingers across the table, never minding the fact that Mitsune tried to upstage her. Again. "We have plenty of time, plus it's been a while since we sat down and talked like this. So," She honestly wanted to know how the affair started. "How easy did you make it for him? Did you take a little shortcut through a love hotel on the way back one night? Surprised him in the linen closet after he-"

"Maybe I told him how I felt and got to know him better." Mitsune voiced softly, ignoring how damp the allegations made her eyes feel. "You know, the way people usually start relationships."

"Maybe I should tell him some of your secrets." Naru mimicked the accent she hated. "You know, some of the ones you couldn't tell anyone else. Hmm…" She put her finger to her chin, acting like she was thinking until she decided to share something her former best friend made her swear to never tell another soul. "What about that time when you slept with that guy just because you liked to ride in his car or… Hmm…" She leaned back in the chair, honestly knowing that she had better material than that. "Oh yeah, remember when-"

"You wouldn't…"

Motoko shook herself free of the daze she fell into, the eyes that were clouded became clear after something she wasn't supposed to hear was heard. Shinobu stopped ignoring them, the icing at the tip of the knife falling back into as she twisted around. Su stood in the same place she stayed since Naru entered the kitchen and watched things take a visible turn for the worse.

"Oh?" Naru felt the eyes on her again, but it didn't matter. She didn't care anymore. "You didn't tell them that you wasn't a virgin anymore? Well, it's kind of obvious with the way you walk around, but I'm sure he didn't notice and… he won't if you leave him alone. I won't tell him anything if you leave him alone, Mitsune."

Everyone saw it for what it was.

It was a threat, a clear and simple threat.

"Sempai wouldn't care about any of that, Kitsune!" Shinobu knew that wouldn't change anything. "Didn't he already tell you-"

"None of you know him." Interruptions were something that became common because she, quite frankly, didn't even want to hear their voices. "All of you think you know Keitaro like I do and you don't. None of you ever did anything for him. None of you ever helped him with anything. I'm the one that tried to get-"

"But… you tore up his art…"

A small voice changed everything.

A secret that wasn't supposed to be aired was put out in the open because Su, more than anyone else, felt betrayed by Naru. It was the princess, the same one that stayed with her at her loneliest of moments, that gave her the benefit of the doubt in spite of the things that happened.

It was the truth, but, to Naru, it only felt like another knife in her back.

"Yeah, I tore it up." They wouldn't understand. She already knew they wouldn't get it. Keitaro didn't need any of that stuff. "He doesn't need to draw. He doesn't need to go to art school, either. We're going to Tokyo-"

Another interruption came in the form of an open tub of cake frosting hitting her on the side of the head, the contents spattering all over the hair and clothes she spent the entire morning getting just right. She was covered in brown with the consistency of half melted ice cream, the crisp white of her blouse ruined by the stains that gradually started to set in.

Shinobu was so close to hyperventilating that she became red in the face. She fumed, her small shoulders rising and falling with nearly every breath she took as everything started to click into place. Something happened to him. She could tell that much, but she always thought it was Kitsune at fault. She wrote it off thinking they had a spat and moved on, but, in hindsight, his tired expression and every smile he forced hit her like a brick launched from a cannon.

She broke.

Something inside her broke upon remembering the morning her sempai left for a day without even eating breakfast. Something inside her fractured when she remembered reaching for a folder that looked strangely empty and having it snatched away by, in retrospect, a friend she knew just didn't want to see her hurt.

The heart she barely put back together broke into pieces when she realized the art he needed to get into school, the wonderful drawings he needed for his dream, was destroyed for nothing more than stroking the ego of a woman that thought she deserved the world.

The time for talking was over.

Shinobu picked up another tub of icing and threw it without missing a beat. The unopened container grazed Naru's shoulder only because she went into motion the moment the cook picked it up. Locks of dirtied brown flowed behind her as she bolted up from her seat and went straight for the girl that reached for something else to throw at her.

Motoko slid into the closing gap between them. In an instant, Naru found the tip of a sheathed sword buried in her chest and Shinobu dropped the can opener she grabbed after the swordswoman's iron grip contracted around her wrist.

"Get out."

There was no room for argument.

Motoko looked at her with the same expression Shinobu had, both their eyes wide and alive with primal hate. She didn't have the time or compassion to deal with someone so trifling. There was no need to satisfy her with pleasantries so she demanded the only reasonable course of action lest she make another mistake.

"Get out!"

The force the swordswoman exerted on the end of her sword pushed Naru back, and it wasn't until she took the steps to right her balance that she started to regain her senses. She blinked before looking around, icing dripping from her hair onto her sock as she slowly started to retrace her steps.

Motoko released Shinobu, who had long since started sobbing, and took a bold step forward to hasten the brunette's retreat. Su didn't even bother to look at her as she walked over to comfort the cook, and Mitsune…

Mitsune just started at her, clear and apparent disappointment mingling with pity in the eyes that seemed to look through her. There wasn't any familiar amusement nestled in the deep brown, and the blank expression only served to stress the feelings highlighted in her eyes.

Naru continued to backpedal until she turned around, unable to look at any of them as she left just as quietly as she came. There was no use in explaining that she didn't intend for all of that to happen. She couldn't even remember getting up after Shinobu started throwing stuff, but there was no use trying to tell them that sometimes she got so angry that she couldn't control herself.

They wouldn't be able to understand her. The other girls wouldn't be able to comprehend her anger because they simply didn't understand her. They always thought she had it easy, when, in reality, she worked harder than all of them combined.

Keitaro would understand… because he was the only one that could. He said he loved her in spite of knowing how she was so all she needed to do was talk to him.

Naru held back tears as she paced herself. All she wanted to do was talk to him, to make him understand who she really was and recapture the feelings they used to have for each other.

She heard something behind her and stopped her depressing trek back to her room long enough to see what it was. Even with eyes blurred by tears she wouldn't let fall, Naru immediately realized who it was and watched the landlord try his best to quietly close the door behind him.

"Keitaro…" She rubbed her eyes, blinking twice just to make sure she wasn't fooling herself into seeing someone that wasn't there. "Is that you…?"

Caught red-handed trying to make a stealthy entrance, Keitaro tensed before he blushed in embarrassment. "Ha…" He lifted a hand to scratch the back of his head before he turned around, having absolutely any idea how much Naru loved even the little things about him. "I was trying to sneak in so I could surprise every…." He trailed off upon seeing someone he didn't expect to see covered in frosting. "Um…" His guess was that she made the mistake of going into the kitchen while Su was making a snack, but he never knew the right things to say to Naru. "Is… everything, alright?"

It was another chance and she'd die before she messed it up.

"No." It was a dumbass question, but she wasn't going to get angry at him anymore. She promised herself as much. "I… I want…"

To talk to you.

To be with you.

To be in love with you.

To be important to you.

To say I love you.

She was doing it again, her mouth was moving but nothing was coming out. Keitaro waited on her, his eyes leaving her and looking in the direction of the kitchen every so often, but he said nothing as she fought to say everything.

Desperate, she reached out and touched him. "I…" She started to sweat as she clutched the shirt that was in her hand and looked him in the eyes. "I…" Her throat was starting to get tight and her heart was starting to beat against her chest, but she needed to say something. Anything. "I…"

"Did you… want to talk about something?"

He took an initiative and the relief threatened to take her legs out from under her. It was a breakthrough! He understood her! "Yes…" Naru felt like she fell into a light, summer dream with his understanding being the sunshine that warmed her. The hand that wrinkled his shirt tightened around the fabric even more. "Please…"

"Okay." Keitaro could sense the significance of the conversation she wanted to have, but there was something he wanted to share with the others for just a minute if he could. "You mind if I go and tell them-"

"Please…"

"A-Alright, but that-"

"Now…"

She sensed that he was trying to think of a way to recommend she take a moment to clean herself up, but, while she appreciated the sentiment, there wasn't any time. She had to leave soon, and before she took the test, before she did anything, she wanted to sit him down and tell him the things she wanted to say since she put him through her door.

Keitaro glanced towards the party he was missing once more before nodding and she let go of his shirt to shyly take hold of his hand. As Naru started to take in the comfort the contact provided, she found that she was smiling. She was happy. For the first time in a long time, she could honestly say she was happy.

She hit some bumps, a lot of them, along the way, but she was finally on the right track.

The other girls gave her their worst and she endured. She took every shot like a champ and she was still standing up. All that was left was to remind Keitaro that he said he loved her and then she'd tell him how much she loved him. After she was sure he understood, she'd go and pass the test with better marks than she had last time.

It sounded like a plan, but…

Nothing ever went as planned for her.

Continued…

Final Chapter:

Sunlight

"I love you, Kitsune!"


	18. Sunlight

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Love Hina or any of its characters.

Friends

Final Chapter

Sunlight

As they ascended the steps hand in hand, Naru thanked each and every single one of her lucky stars for the chance that literally appeared right in front of her. If she left the kitchen a minute or two earlier, then she was certain she would have missed him. The thought of what would have happened if she opted to leave later wasn't something she didn't even want to think about as she reached the top of the stairs and started to move to the next flight without missing a beat.

"Um," She was met with some resistance as Keitaro stopped behind her and lifted his bookbag with his free hand. "You don't mind if I drop this off in my room, do you?"

She could have sworn he hung it up next to his jacket on the post beside the front door, but there was no problem with going to his room first. Naru slowed to a stop to let go of his hand and the landlord passed her without pause. Nodding his thanks on the way to his room and leaving her behind, Keitaro slid his door to the side and entered his room without bothering to turn on the lights. He stopped at the table and unzipped his bookbag to retrieve the treasures inside with careful hands. His sketchbook was laid atop the table and the…

The lights were flicked on, the filament coming to life as the girl that entered his room flicked the switch up. Naru closed the door behind her and locked it if only to keep herself from running away. "Keitaro…" Even though the last thing she wanted to do was chicken out, she was sure she saw something that scared her. "What are you doing?"

"Ha," She hated hearing him chuckle like that. It was the same thing Mitsune did when she caught doing something. "I'm just putting some stuff away."

It was more to it than that.

"What did you just put in your pocket?"

She was justified in stepping into his room and asking what he was doing with his stuff because, for a moment, she thought she spied something that he wasn't supposed to have.

"My eraser?" He fished in his pocket and pulled out a small square of pink. "The pencils I use don't-"

"Okay." He was lying. She could sense it, but she wouldn't press the issue. She decided she wasn't going to get angry with him anymore so she let it slide. Instead of taking about the contents of his pockets, she wanted to say the things she kept to herself for far too long. "I…" She was going to say it whether she wanted to or not. "Keitaro, I…"

Love you.

She steeled her nerves and tried again.

"I… like you." Just that much was good, she was happy even though that didn't sum up everything she wanted to say. "I didn't mean to…" She was forcing every single word, each and every one of them difficult to get out, but she meant everything she said. "I didn't mean to hurt you when I… did those things."

In a way, it sounded like she was speaking to a child. Her voice was slow, the tone as delicate as she could make it. She sincerely hoped that she wasn't offending him, but the only way to get out what she wanted was to pace herself.

"I know you didn't mean to do any of that…" Keitaro sighed. It was a heavy sound on her ears, something that made the landlord sound more exhausted than he looked. "You didn't have to come up here to tell me that."

"I'm sorry." She swallowed every ounce of her pride before saying it. "I…"

"Naru, it's okay. Really." He spoke after she trailed off and walked over to the sketchbook he put down. A folded piece of paper was retrieved and smoothed out in front of her. "Here."

It wasn't okay with her, but, before she could explain as much, she made the mistake of getting closer to see what he wanted to show her. She stared at the piece of paper he held out and all she needed to look at were the big bold characters near the bottom. "You've been accepted to Tama Art University…?" She looked up at him, the blank expression on her face reflecting the way she felt inside. "Huh…?"

Keitaro nodded with a smile that couldn't be ruined by anything. She was the very first person to see the good news. "I showed them some of the stuff I drew and then I sketched the room we were in. Haha…" He laughed, blushing a little as he recalled the reactions to his art. "They told me that classes start in a few weeks and that I'd get my schedule in two to three days."

She wanted to tear it up.

Her very first impulse was to tear up the acceptance letter he held like a love letter.

The reason she apologized was because she hurt him. She had no problem with saying she was sorry about the things she did to him, but she didn't give a damn about his art. He was making a mistake that was going to ruin his life. Tokyo University was the only school for them if they wanted to succeed so she had to save him from himself.

"Keitaro, you're making a mistake." She put her affections on hold. "It's fine as a hobby…" In her eyes, it wasn't. "It's okay when you're killing time, but you can't do art for a living. You can't do sketches and think you're going to make good money."

"That's not true… Well," He spoke as he folded the letter back up and placed it on top of his sketchbook. "I guess it is in a sense, but the reason I enrolled is because I wanted to become more than what I am now. I might become a mangaka, I might be one of those people that draw portraits for the police… I don't know now, but the reason we all go to school is for the future."

"You're not listening to me." Naru felt like she was doing a good job keeping her calm. "I'm saying art school is a mistake. You're giving up on Tokyo U for some school I never heard of in my entire life just because you're too lazy to find a real career."

"This is a career." He started to understand the reason she wanted to talk to him and, at the same time, started to see the problem she had with his art. "I feel like I'm good at this and I want to get better. I don't see anything wrong with that."

"You could do something else. Something… productive."

"I could do a lot of things, but I want to become a professional artist." He appreciated that she was trying to talk him out of it. It was only after she voiced her disapproval for the second time that he thought to see the reason she… did what she did was because she was worried about him. "I think this is the best for me, but-"

"You can take art classes at Tokyo U."

"A lot of those are supplementary-"

"Forget it." Naru closed her eyes and bit down on her lip to keep from saying more. "Go with wherever you want and do what you want." She begrudgingly settled on the matter. He wasn't going to change his mind and that was okay. She'd help him when he failed. She always did. "Go to school wherever you want, I…" She had to make herself clear or he wasn't going to understand. "I'm sorry. I swear to God that I'm sorry about the door. I'm sorry about ripping up your work. I'm sorry about hitting you… Okay? All of that is in the past. I'm different now."

"I was saying that you didn't have to tell me that." The landlord found a comforting smile even in light of memories of nothing good. "I was really…" He vividly recalled coming to tears on more than one occasion, but, instead of being bitter, he embraced the heartache that made him a stronger person. "Ha, I guess I was really tender hearted, but I'm not mad at you or anything, Naru."

"Then how come you never drew me?" The question she really didn't even want to ask was something she blurted out, something she voiced almost on reaction. "Why didn't you draw me then?"

Even in the art she hated, she deserved just as much of a place as the other girls did so not seeing herself rendered in his most beloved hobby was something that added question marks to the feelings that were supposed to be certain. The thing about it was that she would have understood if he was angry. If he was mad, then it would have made sense for him not to bother sketching her, but if he wasn't…

The question clearly caught him off guard. The smile she always loved was stolen as a harder, more thoughtful expression started to set in. He bowed his head slightly, light catching in his glasses for second as he sunk into thought.

It didn't take long for the answer to arrive, but the shifty look in his eyes was enough to make her regret asking. It was easy to tell he was thinking of a way to tell her what he already knew, but she didn't want any white lies. She needed to know what happened so she could right it. She needed to know what the problem was so she could fix it so there was no way she wanted anything other than the truth.

"Don't lie…"

His sight came to rest on his sketchbook, memories of half finished sketches bouncing off the lip of the garbage bin contributing to the sigh he couldn't help but let out. She was asking him not to lie so he braced himself before looking her in the eyes.

Naru, a woman that he once felt embodied an attractive combination of intelligence and confidence, looked like she was abandoned. The icing that had long since dried looked like clumps of mud and the lonely look on her face made it clear she was ready to be hurt.

With the silence that fell, she knew right then and there that he didn't really have something like a secret Naru folder so she didn't let herself rest on the solitary hope that he did. Instead, she waited on the truth she asked for and bit down on her lip in a lacking effort to subdue the feelings that made her so nervous she didn't know what to do.

"Sometimes it feels like I don't understand you at all, Naru. It's like… No," There was no such thing as understanding someone completely so he corrected himself. "I mean, I don't get—Whoa!"

The hand he used to push his glasses back up barely, _just barely_, managed to catch the fist that flew straight for his face. It was only after he was sure he had a good enough grip on the fist that almost broke his nose that he thought to look over her knuckles.

She was pissed.

The same woman that looked so pitiful a second ago was livid, her eyes narrowed with nothing other than rage as she drew her other hand back to slap him. Again, he caught her by the wrist and was quick to force her arms above her head.

"You don't understand me…" She wasn't just surprised. She was mystified by the thought that the man she wanted to spend her life with could say something so stupid. He wouldn't have said he loved her if he didn't at least think he understood her on some level! "How can you not-"

"_This_ is what I'm talking about, Naru!" Someone that never raised his voice yelled in her face. "You always do this to me! We can just be talking one moment and then you're knocking me out! I…" The voice he raised without realizing was quickly lowered and the grip on her wrists was relaxed. "I'm saying that I don't understand why you are so angry all the time…"

He didn't get why she was angry?

Easy.

It was because the world was against her. She had to fight every single day, every second of every minute, in an attempt to make her dreams come true and she had to combat idiocy every step of the way.

She was bad at school at first because the failures took up too much of the teacher's time, she couldn't be with Seta because too many people were in the way, she couldn't get into the school she staked her life on because of a moron, she didn't have any friends because they all turned out to be backstabbers, and…

"Because I love you!" She let go of the reins, and her feelings flowed freely. "I love you and you don't care!"

"It's not like that at all." He wouldn't let her off that easy. "I just want to know why you always get so angry? Is it me? If it is then is it something I can do?"

The words he whispered were far from the yelling he did before, but the light in his eyes never dimmed. He was closing in on something, something important, and he sensed it.

He was on the verge of seeing her.

The woman that quietly ceased her struggling arrived at the same conclusion he did. "Why?" She didn't care about stuff like that so it shouldn't have mattered to him at all. "I just…" The confession, every bit of courage she summoned to voice it, and her best effort to breathe life into their relationship were ruthlessly cut down by the fact that he simply didn't care. "I just said I love you so why is anything else important…?"

"Everything is important, Naru." Someone that hated his art would never see the point of it. "I'm flattered you feel that way about me, really, but don't you wonder why you get like this? Don't you want to know why-"

"Don't treat me like I'm bipolar!" Naru snatched her hands free of his grasp as she spoke, but the strained look in her eyes softened as what she said dawned on her. "I'm…" No more apologies. "I didn't mean to snap at you like that." She rubbed her wrists, unable to look him in the eyes as she spoke. "I… I'm ready now. You don't have to bother with them anymore. I can tell you're serious about your art and that's… okay. I'm okay with it, but I want you to be with me now."

"Naru," Another sigh made him sound older than he really was. "When I said I was in love with you back then I meant it, but now…"

She wasn't going to give up.

"What do you want me to do?" Her throat felt a little tighter and she found it harder to speak, but she had to make him see that it could work. They could still be together! "I can't… sleep with you, but I-"

"Noooo!" He quick to dismiss whatever she was thinking about. "It's just that I'm different from the person that I was seven or eight months ago… I thought I was in-"

She didn't want to hear it.

"We can still be together even…" Every concession that she could make was given up. "E-Even if you like Mitsune."

The chance she waited on her entire life was something that became fleeting and the only thing that hurt more than losing her grasp on it was the fact that his heart didn't even budge. She said she loved him. She finally said it and all she got in return was less than mutual feelings.

"Naru, I'm saying Kitsune is the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with."

"I…" All she wanted was to be happy, but everything was falling apart. "We…" All she had left was a fragile hope that he wouldn't turn her away after how hard she fought so they could be together the way she wanted. "We can keep it a secret… at first."

An affair…

She offered herself to him the only way she could. If he didn't want to leave Mitsune, then he didn't have to until later. It wasn't so much that it was an affair. It would be reconciliation. Mitsune was already the other woman, so she didn't mind giving him time to get things back in the proper order as long as he…

"Naru…"

Keitaro took off his glasses, and her thread of broken logic was frayed by the look in his eyes. He was concerned about her for good reason, but she didn't want him to worry. She wanted him to love her. She wanted him to say something to make her feel better.

Naru wanted him to kiss her.

She moved, crossing the space between them for the sake of an affair that was denied before it started. In her haste, she tripped and clumsily fell into the landlord that gently caught and held her.

That much, by itself, was all it took to stress the change in him.

The idiot that normally would have fell with her, the same fool that would have somehow ended up with his hands all over her breasts, stood as firm as statue and handled her with careful hands. The touch that landed on the shoulders that shook were a far cry from the strength that surrounded her wrists not even a minute ago and the absentminded gropes were a thing of the past.

He hugged her without warning and she sunk into the warmth of his chest. "I love you." Did he know that was all he had to say? That was all she ever wanted from him. "If I didn't love you, if I didn't care, then I don't know what I would have done after-"

"I'm sorry…"

A muffled apology came and a comforting hand went up and down her back.

"I know. I know you didn't mean for to happen like that, but… Ha…" It wasn't exactly his fondest memory. "It hurt. It hurt me a lot, but I know you don't go around making master plans to do stuff. It just happens, right? You just get mad and can't help yourself?"

It was truth, but she didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want to talk about being mean to him. "I need you…" She had no reason to save face anymore. "I need you with me, Keitaro. Please-"

"No."

It was a blatant refusal and he made no illusion about it. There was no hope to be found in the single word he voiced. It was curt and dry, something that killed any chance of having what she wanted.

"I already said Kitsune is the only person I'm going to be with."

Naru pulled away, the steps she took backwards once again creating the distance she hated between them. It was then and there that she decided that she hated Mitsune. She hated that she masqueraded as her friend. She hated that Keitaro came to possess some of her qualities. She hated that she stole Keitaro from her. She hated that she thought to take the practice exam on a whim. She hated that she was the woman that Keitaro kissed. She hated every single thing about Mitsune and hoped to God that she had it in her not to do something to the woman on sight.

Keitaro put his glasses back on, clearly searching for something to say as conversation waned, but she was finished talking. Naru turned on her heel and started on her way to her room for a chance of clothes.

"Wait…"

Naru stopped and waited for him near the doorway, but he stood right where she was. It was only then that she sensed the line between them, something she noticed only because it was something she would be able to cross anymore.

The only way for her dream to come true was for him to come to her. If he came to her, if he forgot about Mitsune, then they could be happy so the reason she waited was to give him ample time to do something. He didn't even have to say anything. All he had to do was touch her. If he did just that much then she would give him everything as long as he promised to be hers forever…

"Good luck on the test."

Good fucking luck?

That was all she got while Mitsune got everything she wanted? Okay. That was fine then. That was perfectly fine. If that was how he wanted to play it, then it was okay with her.

The door didn't move when she tried to slide it back so she kicked it as hard as she wanted to kick Mitsune in the face. The door buckled and broke into two, and the landlord silently watched her give it another kick to force it out into the hall. It gave way with ease and she stepped out and over what used to be the door to his room. She stomped on it, if only to make sure it laid flat, and, all at once, thought to tell him everything she forgot to say.

She wanted to tell him about how Motoko only wanted to sleep with him because she was too goddamn stuck up to say sorry, she wanted to tell him Shinobu was just an angry little bug that could only get back at people by doing petty stuff because she was too scared to face them, she wanted to tell him Su was nothing more than a backstabber just pretending to care, and, of course, she wanted to tell him every secret about Kitsune that she could care to remember.

Naru motioned to speak, but, before she could even get out a word, she realized that all she would be doing was hurting him again. Even if it was the truth, Keitaro wouldn't act on it. He wouldn't kick them out or stop being kind to them. She knew him. He'd just act like nothing happened at all, and, when they ultimately started treating him like they treated her, he'd quietly endure it thinking that it'd end someday.

The thing about it, though, was that there was nothing to say.

If she tried to tell him, tried to save him from the other girls, he'd give her the same look he did when he stopped her from slapping him. If she tried to tell him that she really loved him more than anyone else, instead of love she'd be met with the resistance.

It was over.

It was over for sure, but, to Naru, it was never over until she was done and she wouldn't be done until Keitaro was with her. She'd leave the landlord to think about what she said, and, when he came to his senses, then they'd be able to talk.

With one final stomp and a fleeting glance over her shoulder, Naru started on her way to the room above. Keitaro sighed once more as he stepped out of his room, his eyes quickly leaving Naru's back to take in the damage she left behind. The frame was something he could fix in a few minutes if he still had the materials on hand, but the door…

He bent over the broken wood and looked to see if he could still use the same latch, but it, too, was broken beyond repair. "All she had to do was unlock it…"

Fixing stuff was in his job description and, while replacing a door wasn't exactly his favorite thing to do, it wasn't something that took all that long. What really worried him was the way Naru walked away. It looked like she hurt herself, but he couldn't tell if she was hiding a limp or not.

Either way, it wasn't like she'd let him help her…

That was something he knew from the very beginning. As someone that took it upon himself to make sure all the girls could rely on him, it pained him that everything he tried to do for Naru only ended up with her getting angry. The best he could do was hope to catch his girlfriend before she started getting ready to leave and ask her to keep an eye on the brunette.

Finished inspected the damage, Keitaro straightened his back, took a long, deep breath, and let go of his troubles as he exhaled. Everything was going to be okay. Naru would be angry with him for a couple days and she'd probably stay in her room for a little while, but she'd feel much better after she passed the test.

Tomorrow, he'd plan something big for her. He'll have to ask the other girls for help, but, if they worked together, then everyone would have a good time for sure. Another party would be good considered that he missed out on the first one, but, unfortunately, the first thing he had to do was get a broom.

0

Kitsune hated riding the bus mostly because of memories of angry drivers pressing her for the fee she always conveniently forgot, but, on the way to their stop, her thoughts centered on the girl seated a few rows in front of her.

Naru, free of the mess that collected on her person, quietly sat beside the window with her head resting on the glass. Keitaro begged her to watch the brunette before they left for the exam, but, even with their differences, it was something she would have done regardless.

It wasn't the first time she joined Naru on the bus. Before Keitaro came, they frequently rode the bus to go places. Sometimes they went to ramen stands, sometimes she dragged the younger girl to a party, sometimes they went to the market, and sometimes they just wanted to get some fresh air. They used to go to a lot of places with each other so, as someone that knew Naru well, it wasn't a good thing that even the elderly people seated behind the girl could tell that she had seen better days.

"Are you okay, young lady?"

The grandma behind her waited for the response that never came and Kitsune watched the exchange, or the lack of thereof, from where she was seated. Instead of responding, Naru abruptly shot a hand up and yanked on the cord. The bus started to slow for their stop and Kitsune almost felt like laughing as she noticed she would have missed the stop if Naru fell asleep or just plain forgot.

"Excuse her," Kitsune stood from her seat and bowed in thanks to the woman that made the inquiry for her friend. "She's…" Both the grandma and Kitsune watched Naru stand and make her exit. "Well, she's just having a hard time right now."

"I hope she feels better… Such a pretty girl shouldn't go around making such a sad face."

Kitsune offered the woman a friendly wave to go along with her trademark smile before following Naru off the bus. As the doors folded close behind her, the first thing she noticed was that it was drizzling. The second was that Naru had long since started walking up the hill. The late autumn rain gave them no trouble as they walked, one faster than the other to catch up, but the dark clouds gathering in the night sky promised nothing good.

"Well…" The bus rumbled down the street and Kitsune tried her hand at conversation as she fell into step. "I think the test was pretty easy. I know it was just for practice, but is the real thing kind of like that?"

No response.

"Hmm, we probably need to hurry up…" Naru kept her mouth shut, but Kitsune didn't. She held out a hand as she spoke, catching the rain that collected in her hand for a second before letting it fall. "I didn't get the chance to see the news, but it looks like it's about to get pretty nasty."

Nothing at all.

Naru made her pace and stuck to it, her jacket wrapped tightly around her as she made it clear she wanted nothing to do with the person she felt stole her boyfriend. When the steps that led to their home finally came into sight, the brunette slowed and Kitsune passed her without a moment's hesitation to start her ascent.

"Mitsune."

She spoke to her for the first time since they left the kitchen.

Surprised, Kitsune turned to find that Naru didn't set foot on the steps. The younger girl looked up at her from the sidewalk, her eyes strained and expression mellowed only in appearance.

"Give Keitaro back to me…"

It wasn't a demand.

It wasn't until she saw the steps that she realized she couldn't even think to return to Hinata House with the way things were. She couldn't see herself going back unless it was something there for her so she asked Mitsune, someone that used to be her very best friend, to let her have the relationship she needed.

"I never asked you for anything. I never ever in my life asked you for anything, but this." Naru was adamant. There were no arguments she prepared. "Just…" It started to rain a little harder than before, the drizzle that teased them becoming heavier as she spoke. "Just do this for me and I'll do anything you want."

It wasn't some half-baked plan to swing Keitaro back into her graces or some sarcastic, self-deprecating joke she tried to use to poke fun at the situation. She was dead serious. If she promised to turn Keitaro over to her, she would probably do anything she asked.

A long time ago, she probably would have agreed just to make her do something stupid so she could sip on a beer and have material to laugh at for days if not weeks, but there was nothing funny about Naru's request.

"I did…" The truth was that she already did what she asked. "I was in love with him and I didn't say anything because I knew he liked you!" The truth was that she tried to do the very thing she asked on more than one occasion. "I didn't start anything with him until he gave up on you!"

She willingly stepped aside so her friend could be happy. It was something that she did more that once, but nothing except misery came from the sacrifices she made in vain. With Seta, she urged Naru on even though she found herself putting tears into her pillow at night. With Keitaro, she used every opportunity she could to kill her own desire for the sake of a friend that ended up playing a heavy-handed game of impossible-to-get.

It pissed her off.

Badmouthing her was one thing. People called her worse things than Naru ever did and none of her feathers were ever ruffled. The other girls were strong. They didn't need pity parties complete with gifts and pats on the back to feel better after they got down. The trouble, the reason why Kitsune felt like she was reaching boiling point, was because of the _years_ of the emotional investment she put into a relationship that honestly only ended up with her boyfriend coming out on the short end of the stick.

She had to calm down.

Keitaro said he forgot all about what she did to his art. He said he was okay, so she was okay. He obviously lied about what happened to his door, but everything was going to be okay. She just had to take a deep breath and…

"He… didn't give up on me."

"He did!" Kitsune wasted no time marching down the steps to get in her face. "He got tired of your shit the same way everyone else did! He almost begged me to look out for you and I swore on fucking scout honor that I would, but goddamnit! I'm so sick of your 'I'm the only victim' bullshit that it makes me kill myself!"

She needed to calm down.

Keitaro asked her to help Naru.

She had to calm down.

"W-Wha-"

"I thought—Gotdamnit…" Kitsune took the deep breath she needed to regain her composure and held it for five seconds before letting it go. "I knew you'd be mad at first, but…" She opened her eyes. "I thought you'd be happy for me. I thought you'd be happy that I got away from drinking and partying away all my free time and found someone that really cared about me. Happy that I found a relationship that had more going for it than just sex or going to the club too much." The same look she had in the kitchen returned with a vengeance. "You were the closest thing I had to a sister, the closest thing I had to family since I left my own, but you want to deny me the first real good thing that ever happened to me?"

"I'm not denying you anything!" She should have realized from the get go that she wouldn't be able to reason with someone like Mitsune. "I was trying to settle this, but you're having a misconception. Keitaro is mine. I'm-"

"I'm not misunderstanding anything." Kitsune looked her straight in the eye as she spoke, never looking away as she strived to make a point that would reach her former best friend. "Before anything else, I want to help you. I swore I was going to help the people important to me, but I love Keitaro, Naru… I'm not going to give him up just to make you feel better. I'm not going to give him up for anything."

Some best friend she was supposed to be…

"So you're just going to take my place?" The woman that always felt victimized focused instead on what she stood to lose. "You're just going to take away the only thing-"

"I'm not taking your place…" Kitsune was slow to say what was on her mind as thunder sounded off in the distance. "I never pretended to be you. I never tried to do things you do. I told you that all I did was tell him how I felt and let things fall into place."

The rain started to come down harder, but neither thought to move a step. "Is this how you want to get back at me, Mitsune?" They got drenched as the downpour continued, but Naru wasn't setting even one foot in Hinata House without knowing the truth. "Huh? Does it make you feel good doing this to me?"

"Don't you want to get over this?" She countered a question with another one. "Aren't you tired of-"

"You don't understand…" As someone that had everything she wanted, Mitsune would never be able to understand her. "I know I failed the exam… I couldn't concentrate. I wasted so much time I…" She trailed off, a feeling of complete and utter loss welling up inside her as she recalled getting to the point where she was randomly marking answers because she didn't have enough time to read the questions. "I know that party was really just for you and they hate me now… You saw how they looked at me…"

"Naru…"

"I saw… the ring." Naru looked up towards the clouds that rained on her, her tears visible despite the rain. "He got a ring for you, Mitsune, and I… I don't have anything." She just felt empty. "I'm asking you… No," She killed her pride again. "I'm begging you. Please give Keitaro back to me."

"Don't do this." Kitsune took the few steps down she needed to meet Naru on even ground. "Let's get out of this storm and go-"

"No! Give him back to me!" Naru knew she was difficult. She knew she was a bitch that was extra hard to get along with sometimes, but it was just too unfair. It wasn't right that the very situation she found herself in was what she fought to prevent. "I won't mess up this time. Please… just give him back to me."

Keitaro wasn't the favorite pen she let people borrow on occasion or a good book she kept on her desk just to look smart. He wasn't a piece of meat or something she could just up and give to someone. He was a person, her boyfriend as a matter of fact, and she wasn't going to do anything to put their relationship in jeopardy.

That was why she said no before realizing she did.

"I…" Vengeful eyes were filled with nothing except the darkest intent. "I hate you, Mitsune. I swear to God I hope something happens to you."

"Ha… C'mon…" The same light chuckle she detested only made Naru's scowl deeper. "You're just saying that because-"

"No, I hope you get hit by a fucking car on your way to wherever the—No!" Kitsune tried to move closer to her and Naru flailed away from any attempt at contact. She didn't want a hug. She didn't want to be touched. She didn't want to be on friendly terms with someone that ruined her life. "Get the fuck away from me!" She cried as she toppled to the ground, the slip of her shoe on the slick sidewalk aiding in her descent.

Naru stayed were she was sprawled on the ground, but, even though she moved like she was hurt, her eyes were alive with nothing other than hate. She tried to be civil, but she couldn't stand looking at her anymore. If Mitsune wanted to be a selfish bitch, then she had no problem being just as nasty.

She could feel the tendrils of rage spreading, anger seeping into her as she thought to look up at her antagonist. It wasn't until she saw gray, until she looked under the bangs and into Mitsune's eyes, that she recalled how much she wanted to hurt her. She wanted to kick her face and stomp on her the same way she broke Keitaro's door. She wanted to rip her up the same way she tore his art to pieces, the same way she wanted to rip his acceptance letter in half.

Everything was her fault.

Kitsune was the one that started everything and ended up with what she wanted, but she wasn't going to let it be that easy. She didn't win, yet. "I told him you enjoyed the gangbang you had back in high school!" Naru laughed, the hate that masked how she really felt aiding in holding her misery at bay. "I told him about you spending three weeks at some guy's house, too!"

"I never did anything like that…"

"Haha!" She laughed as hard as she could to keep from crying again. "So!? I don't care if it's true or not! I hope he takes the ring back before you get a chance to see it! It'd be even better if he took it back tonight!" Nothing mattered anymore. "I hope he cheats on you the same way he—You tired of listening to me now, Mitsune!? You're tired of me now that I don't want your help!?" She screamed at the woman that slowly started to make her way up the steps. "Fine! Keep going! Keep on taking everything from me!!"

She didn't have anything else to say to Naru.

Everything that needed to be said was already said.

But…

Everything she did for Naru wasn't in vain, because it was something she did for a friend. It didn't matter if the work she put in amounted to nothing. The value she took from trying to put them together paid off every time her friend was happy.

Naru was her friend.

The brunette that shyly met them in the kitchen with her favorite clothes on wasn't the same person that pushed Keitaro around just because she got angry. She ended up making a scene, but she saw with her own eyes that she was trying to grow in her own way.

Kitsune muted the feelings that urged her to leave and turned around. Without a word, she endured the hateful gaze that felt like it burned a hole through her chest and gave someone important to her another chance. She knew Naru wouldn't take kindly to a hand held out for her sake, so she merely stood in place and waited.

She just wanted Naru to know she was there.

The art she destroyed, the lies she told, the bridges she burned… All those things, all her mistakes, could put behind them if they worked at it. It wouldn't be easy, but it wasn't supposed to be. There was no doubt it'd be hard, but she'd welcome the opportunity.

"Thinking I'm going to ask for your help…" It was laughable, but she didn't feel like laughing anymore. "I don't need you." She wobbled, a tight grimace coming to her face as she used her hands to slowly get to her feet. She stood on a tender ankle and it hurt like hell, but she didn't need any help. "I don't need anything from you."

"I know you're taking this hard. I know you are, but it's not the end of-"

"Just leave me alone… Just…" She was tired. She didn't want to fight anymore. She just wanted to be happy, but she always ended up hurt. "Go away…"

That was how it ended.

There was no tearful reunion or heart to heart talk that led to a mutual understanding. Instead of opening her heart, Naru locked it even tighter than before. It was something she expected, but to actually have it happen didn't make her feel any better.

Kitsune once again turned around and made her way up the steps. She watched her like Keitaro asked and tried her best to help her. She'd be able to go to sleep with a clear conscience. It was grim, that much was for sure, but Naru would surely get over it. It'd be tough, but the test was just a practice exam and the other girls wouldn't stay mad at her forever.

And if Keitaro really already brought the ring…

Kitsune blinked and slowly to a stop when Hinata House came into sight. She couldn't help but break into a smile as she climbed the last few steps and looked up at her home. If there was an engagement ring waiting for her, then there was no doubt she'd be walking into a proposal.

It'd be nice, but, even though thoughts of marriage made her giggly, there was someone important to her that was feeling hurt and alone so Kitsune put off dreams of Keitaro getting down on one knee and opened the front door to fetch an umbrella.

Kitsune found what she was looking for on the floor not too far from the door and, without pause, walked back out into the storm. The thing about Naru was that she was stubborn to the point of being stupid about things, but she was good at being stupid about things, too. If Naru wanted to stay outside, then they'd stay outside until she decided she wanted to come in.

Heartbreak hurt, but, even if she wasn't trying to teach her a lesson, it was something to learn from. It was something she learned well, something that changed her into the woman she was, and it was the reason why she had no problem braving the storm to help someone experiencing it. She knew how it felt to be sad and alone with seemingly no one around that'd help.

That was why she was determined to be there regardless of everything that happened.

Kitsune raised the umbrella as thunder boomed, but, when the lightning finally struck, she saw no sight of the brunette she left at the bottom of the steps. Instantly, fear started to creep into her heart as she quickly looked around. "Hey! Naru!" She wasn't even gone for more than a few minutes! "Naru, where are you!?"

No response.

Kitsune recklessly flew down the steps without a thought paid to being cautious. She knew the best thing to do would be to go inside and get help to search for her, but, with her limp, she couldn't have gotten far.

"Naru!" She screamed, the umbrella thrown to the side and abandoned as she put her hands around her mouth. "Naru!"

Nothing at all.

Kitsune reached the bottom of the steps and went straight into the teahouse. She barged inside, a puddle collecting under her as she found the place just as clean as she last left it. One good, long look was all she needed to tell that nothing was disturbed so she left without looking back.

She checked the bus stop, the place they got dropped off at, and the bus stop before that one. She went up the hill and passed Hinata House to see if Naru went the other way. She checked the teahouse again before going back up to steps to see if she somehow missed the girl on the way up, but her shoes weren't there.

When she thought to call the police everyone tried to calm her down, but she did it anyway. It came as no surprise that the officer that arrived believed she was overreacting because, deep down, she knew she was. It wasn't exactly rare for people to take off from Hinata House on what seemed like a whim. All they'd do would just pack up and go after them, but Motoko completely refused to look for her and Shinobu outright laughed at the thought. Su avoided the topic and Keitaro did his best to convince her that Naru would come back eventually, but she didn't care about eventually.

The reason why she panicked had nothing to do with letting it happen on her watch. The reason why she was so desperate was because it reminded her of when she left her own family except worse. At the time, she felt like mother was just being a grandstanding bitch, but Naru felt like they all ganged up on her. She felt like they didn't want her around anymore, and nothing she could say could change how she felt. She had to make Naru see for herself and to make her see how things really were she had to find her.

However…

Things gradually settled down.

Keitaro enrolled in school and she passed Tokyo University's entrance exam, but Naru didn't return to make an attempt on it. Her boyfriend proposed to her not long afterwards and everyone was happy for her, but Naru was still gone. She sent out wedding invitations to everyone she knew, and, even though she sent one to every known address Naru ever had, she never heard a word from her.

That didn't mean she wasn't happy, though. Every day was wonderful and filled with excitement. Su still wrecked the place with her creations from time to time, Motoko could still make any man within a certain radius wet themselves if she narrowed her eyes, Shinobu was still deserving of the highest praise for her culinary efforts, Keitaro still had fun sketching their antics, and she actually came to love going to class and managing the teahouse.

Life was good, but…

Naru was still gone.

0

"I love you."

Kitsune grinned at the woman in the mirror. She looked so… different dressed in something with so much lace and so much white. As someone that never really liked dresses, it did make her feel a little uncomfortable to be in something so big and fluffy, but, at the same time, the wedding dress felt like it was weaved out of dreams.

It felt surreal.

If Keitaro never became the landlord, if he never thought to seriously give her a chance, she'd probably be at some racetrack with a fistful of tickets and a pocket so empty that even nothing felt like something. Instead of being somewhere wasting money on bets that'd probably amount to nothing much, she somehow managed to sweet talk some people into letting her have her own column in a newspaper even though she was still a student.

She leaned closer to her reflection and watched herself pull a lock of gray to the side. It was funny to think that she originally wanted her regular haircut, but the stylist didn't even lift the scissors. It wasn't until she finally had a chance to really look at it herself that she decided she liked it a lot. The makeup, though, was something she thought she would have a problem with. As someone that didn't like using it on account of being lazy, she didn't really know much about it all, but the difference was marginal. It was kind of sad considering she did pay for it, but it did make her feel better and that accounted for a lot considering she felt like the happiest woman in the world.

"Haha…" The bride smiled as she straightened back up and struck a silly pose. "I love you, Kitsune!"

Keitaro laughed from where he sat, his sketchbook in lap and pencil in hand as he put what was in front of him on paper. "I should be the one saying that, you know."

"It's all good Keikei!" She awkwardly turned around and once again cursed the high heels she wore under her breath. "You're going to be saying it with your lips today!"

"S-So…" She loved the way he blushed as he tried to change the subject. "I met your family. Well, I met you father and your brother not too long ago." He put his pencil down and looked up at his future wife. "They're kind of… Hmm…"

"Intense?"

"Yeah." That was a good word for it. "They seem really serious, but I guess anyone would get serious about their daughter or sister. I heard your brother already got his degree."

"Ha," Kitsune grinned as she walked over and took a seat next to him. "I told you he was pretty smart. He's going to get another degree in engineering before I even finish mine, but he's not just going to be my brother. He's going to be your brother, too."

"That's right…" They were all going to be family after the wedding. "Going to be my first time having a brother."

"Going to be my first time having a real sister, too."

"Oh yeah!" He was so nervous when he met her family that he forgot she met with some of his. "I hope Kanako didn't scare you too much. She kind of goes overboard with new people, but she's really nice when you get to know her."

"I got to admit that little sister caught me off guard with the disguises, but she's plenty cute. It was nice meeting everyone, but I have to say the best part was seeing that grandma made it." Keitaro stood as she spoke and, for the first time, she got a good look at him in his tuxedo. One of his secrets was that he liked to dress up, especially for big occasions, and few things were bigger than the event set to take place in less than a few hours. "I was a little worried she wouldn't make it back from her trip in time, but she actually got here relatively early."

"Yeah," Keitaro nodded in agreement as he placed his closed sketchbook on the coffee table. "You really never know with-"

"Ara ara…" Conversation came to halt as a familiar voice attracted their attention to the doors that parted. The familiar face of the watermelon lover arrived with a smile for the couple as she made her entrance. "Don't you two know it's bad luck for the bride and broom to be together before the wedding?"

"Mutsumi!" Kitsune shot out of her seat and met the older woman with a hug. "You said you had to watch all of your sisters and brothers!"

"I just wanted to surprise you." She extracted herself out of the embrace and turned her attention to the landlord. "You still look handsome, Keitaro."

"Ha, thanks." He, too, walked into the hug that was waiting on him. "How have you been, Mutsumi?"

"Pretty good." She let go of him, his smile something that matched her own as she spoke. "I didn't even fall on my way here."

"Ha…?" He scratched the back of his head, unable to think of a way to respond to something she voiced with a proud twinkle in her eyes. "T-That's good."

The woman that loved him longer than any other smiled at him as she walked over to the seat he vacated. "I'll love to talk longer, but, if you don't mind, I wanted to have a little girl talk with Kitsune and…" She locked eyes with him. "You know you're not supposed to be in here, right?"

"Right."

Keitaro fixed his glasses on his face before motioning to leave and, before he took a step, she quickly caught him by the wrist. He looked down at her, the eyebrow he raised met only with the smile that was always there.

"Be happy."

Again, he put on a grand smile that fit the occasion and…

She let go.

The smile that never died slipped as Keitaro took his leave and his fiancé wasn't at all slow to take note of the fact. She, more than anyone, knew what it felt like to long for someone so the look on Mutsumi's face was no stranger to her. It was a look that all the women in Keitaro's life approached her with in some form. It was a look that defined the mixed feelings made manifest in the forced smiled she found waiting on her.

"Take care of him, okay…?"

It was always the same sentiment, always worded differently, but always coming down to the same exact thing.

Hurt him and she'd regret it.

No one said as much.

Motoko didn't draw a sword on her, Kanako came close but couldn't quite get out what she wanted to say in the presence of grandma, her future mother-in-law gave her a few staring contests, and, right in front of her, Mutsumi timidly asked her to make sure nothing bad happened. None of them threatened her, though. All they asked was that she didn't mess up what she had. They, all in them in their own way, were just asking her to be careful, but she didn't need anyone to tell her not to take Keitaro for granted.

"I will." Kitsune responded with confidence as she walked over to Mutsumi and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll definitely take care of him."

She was tired of it, but she was grateful, too.

It was more than just idle affections that made them show sides of their characters that Keitaro never saw. It was because he was loved that even the best of friends and family doubted her, but the reason they could say such things and smile was because she became a woman capable and responsible enough to maintain a healthy relationship.

"How are the other girls?" Her smile returned, but it didn't quite reach her eyes until she thought to ask about the other tenants of Hinata House. "I didn't get a chance to see anyone, but Su and her new Mecha Keitaro."

"Ha, she said she wouldn't be the flower girl if she couldn't bring it along." Kitsune smiled as well before taking the same seat she sat in before. "Everyone is pretty much alright. Motoko learned a new move not too long ago. I remember how excited she was to show her sister. I told Shinobu that my father would pay for a caterer, but she insisted on putting in the work, and God knows I can't say no to her cooking. She's probably in the kitchen now as a matter of fact. You wouldn't mind doing me a favor and checking up on her, would you?"

"Ara ara," Mutsumi chuckled at the thought as she stood and smoothed out her dress. "Sure, but you know me. I'll only end up getting in the way."

"That's not true." Kitsune winked at her. "You're not in the way now, are you?"

"Suppose that's true." The older woman made her way towards the double doors, but spied the bribe over her shoulder before she parted them. "Kitsune, don't worry too much about Naru… She's a strong girl. She just needs some time, but we both know nothing will hold her down."

"Yeah…"

With that, she left and Kitsune couldn't help but feel like a little of wind was lost from her sails at the mention of Naru. There was no doubt it was going to come up, but, even though people tried to keep it to hushed whispered and backdoor talk, the subject of her missing was something that brought her down whenever she heard it.

She needed to think about something else.

Kitsune leaned her head back and rested it on the back of the chair. The brown eyes that looked through the gray of her hair took in the grand architecture of the church. Even though the room she was in was the smallest one they had, it was still a couple times larger than her bedroom. It was old, but pristine. It felt like more of a castle than a church thanks to the attention to detail, but the radiance of the stained glass was enough to remind her where she was.

When she first let her parents know she was getting married, they fully expected her to go with Shinto style arrangements, but, even though she wasn't a Christian, a church seemed much more fitting than some lobby to hold her wedding. It had a lot more space, but she loved the feel of the church more than anything. To her, it was perfect and, probably because she wanted it so much, Keitaro agreed on the spot.

For the third time since she woke up, Kitsune pinched herself.

Everything felt like a dream.

Getting in school, having a job that actually made her proud, getting married…

Life was wonderful.

"Kitsune, you in there?"

"Yeah, I'm in here." The bride sat back up and responded to the knocking that came with the question. "Is that Haruka?"

"Uh huh, I just got here, but everything looks good." She stayed on the other side of the door, no doubt because of the cigarette she was surely smoking. "Sarah and Seta ran off to see Keitaro, but I'll drag them over to see you at the reception."

"Haha, it's fine. I can already picture him getting slapped on the back and getting kicked in the shins all at the same time." Kitsune stood and walked over to the door if only to hear the familiar voice better. "You can come in, you know. Smoke-"

"I appreciate the offer, but today is big." She was close enough to hear her take a puff. "Can't have you going down the aisle smelling like smoke, plus you're probably tired of everyone getting in your face by now."

"Not really…" She leaned against the door with a smile. It wasn't too long ago that Haruka herself got married, but she was always so calm and cool that nothing seemed to faze her. It was a secret she guarded well, but, out of everyone in her entire life, Haruka was the closest thing she had to a role model. "You got any advice for me?"

"Not really." Another drag and a slow exhale came from the other side of the door. "You're going to be fine, Kitsune. Just take it easy. Don't get scared. If you start getting cold feet then just come and talk to me."

It was just like her.

Haruka was laid back, almost to the point of indifference, but, after one thought to speak with her, it was comically easy for her to make her feelings known. It was in Haruka and no one else that she saw flashes of both a mother away from home and the older sister she never had.

"Ha, I'll be fine." The memories of Haruka being so hard on her reminded her of the woman that tried her hand at tough love just once and was vehemently rejected. "I do want you to meet my mother when you get the chance, though." The back she rested against the door was lifted as she turned around with intentions of opening it, but, before she could, something slipped under the door. "Huh?"

"I'm sure I'll catch her somewhere in the crowd, but this note I picked up-"

"Ah… It's addressed to me." She knelled and picked it up. The characters on the front spelled out her given name, but had no mention of who or where it came from.

There was only one way to find out.

Kitsune tore open the envelope and extracted a single, folded up piece of notebook paper from inside. "Dear Mitsune," She started, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the contents of the letter. "I hate you…" Her breath caught in her throat, before she saw the next line of characters. "Just kidding…"

"Kitsune?"

"I hope you have a good day and…" The bride rose to her full height, as she read, unable to deny the spark of hope that made her pulse quicken. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, what did it-"

The doors were pulled open and the cigarette fell free from the teahouse owner's mouth as Kitsune rushed by her without a moment spared to look back. The shock alone was enough to hold her in place as she watched the fleeing bride, but all it took was one notion to change everything.

Kitsune was becoming a runaway bride.

Just like the woman before her, Haruka took off and was the first person on the chase that attracted more and more people with every hall Kitsune ran down and with every corner she rounded.

The bride herself paid no heed to the commotion behind her. If Haruka picked up a note, it meant that it wasn't there when Mutsumi came. There was no doubt in her mind that the person that wrote it couldn't be too far away. It took more than a few minutes to get to the rooms towards the back of the church, and, with everyone looking to get in, it wasn't exactly easy to get out.

"Kitsune! Stop right where you are!"

"It's time, Mecha Keitaro!"

"Seta! Do something!"

"Damn these heels!" She couldn't afford to be caught so she wasn't going to let them catch her. It was a simple as that. The shrill sound of Motoko's warning had nothing on the sound of her sword being drawn, but she had nothing to worry about as long as the taller girl was behind her. What did promise some trouble were the little princess and the grown man waiting for her near the entrance.

Su, unable to flip off the top of Mecha Keitaro like she usually would because of her dress, had to settle with just climbing down as her creation got ready to dive on top of the runaway bribe. "I never thought you'd do something like this, Kitsune!"

"W-Wait Su!" Seta slid to a stop in front of the machine. "Surely she has her rea—Ahh!"

Kitsune laughed out loud as Mecha Keitaro ran and tripped over Seta. With the people behind her closing in, all it took to get to get to exit was a quick step on the robot's head and small hop over groaning man beneath it.

"Not so fast!"

Small hands latched onto the dress she dirtied with her running, but Su's feeble efforts to pull her back ceased when she pushed open the doors of the church and yelled for a person they thought they'd never see again.

"Naru!" The hustle and bustle of the city continued like nothing ever happened, but the crowd that chased after her came to a halt at the same time Su let go of her dress. Kitsune made her way down the steps until she stood near the busy street right in front of the church. "Naru! I know you're out here!"

Everyone looked around for sight of the brunette, but the chance that she changed her appearance was something that could have very well happened. Instead of looking for a girl with long, honey brown hair, they could have been searching for someone with short, jet-black hair. Instead of a girl that liked to wear nice clothes when she could, they could have been looking for someone that didn't give a damn how she looked anymore.

More than that, it was a pretty day. It was a fitting day for a wedding, but it was also a reason for a lot of people to be outside. It was far too many people to pick just one out of the crowd. It definitely had to be harder than picking a needle out-

In a sea of movement, a single person across the street stood almost perfectly still and looked directly at her. They stared at each other, both of them frozen in place thanks to the sight of each other. Kitsune wanted to saw something. She wanted to say anything to make Naru stay right where she was, but, when the brunette turned around and started to walk away, she lost the voice that wanted to say everything.

"Naru!"

Kitsune lifted the head she lowered and found her fiancé rushing down the steps. Keitaro laughed, free of the feelings that plagued his future wife as he chased after another woman. They were both happy to see her, but he had no reservations about going and getting her. Just like her, he didn't mind postponing things for a few minutes to catch up with someone important and the timely red light felt like another gift on a special day.

More and more people gathered outside the church and watched the groom catch up with the girl that some of them didn't even know. It was suspicious enough to give way to whispering behind her, but Kitsune listened to none of it as she eyed Keitaro and Naru from afar.

"You could have just told me you thought she was in the area and you could have saved yourself from getting your dress dirty…" Haruka met Kitsune at the bottom of the steps and pulled another cigarette out of her purse before second thinking it. The cigarette was flicked back inside, but the circumstances still made her feel like lighting one up. "Probably could have kept that idiot in there from getting hurt, too."

"Huh…?" She saw what happened, but she didn't know it was serious. "Seta is-"

"Don't worry," Haruka watched her nephew try his hand at talking to someone that looked like she wanted to run away. "He'll have an interesting limp, but he'll be fine. More than that, I know you haven't seen her in a while, but you got to think about how things look."

"I know…" Kitsune turned her attention back to the two across the street. "I know it looked like I was running away, but I just really wanted to go see her. I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to tell her things I should have said before, but… when I saw the way she looked at me I…" She trailed off, but, before she realized it, all of her friends and all of her family surrounded her in front of the church.

Haruka sighed before she put a friendly arm around Kitsune's shoulders. "Don't be a dummy." The people that crowded around her, the same people that whispered questions behind her back just a minute ago, happily talked to each other like nothing happened. Discussion flowed over customary handshakes and timid hugs as people met each other, and friendships were made on the fly. It was a happy occasion, something that marked the beginning of a union between people that loved each other, so it looked silly for the woman at the center of the festivities to be sad. "This is your day. This is a day just for Kitsune and Keitaro so we all want you two to be happy. Yeah," She laughed a little, a rare show of amusement put on display as she, too, turned to look across the street. "Some of us thought you were on your way to get a taxi, but what happened already happened. You're not running away so everything is good. The main thing is that you're happy. If you're satisfied with just seeing her that's fine, but if you want to talk to her then…"

A tiny shove forward was all it took to send the bride a few steps forward.

"Go!"

Kitsune looked behind her and her clouded heart cleared upon seeing everyone in such high spirits. Her mother was happily playing with Su, Sarah and Shinobu caught up with each other for what had to be the first time in months, Shirai and Keitaro's father wiped tears of laughter out their eyes as Mecha Keitaro and Seta helped each other down the steps, Tsuruko shared a quiet conversation with her brother, and… everything just looked right.

The same warm feeling that welled up in her chest when she burst out of the room and started to chase down Naru returned as she set foot on the crosswalk and slowly, but surely made her way across the street.

What would she say?

She didn't know.

Keitaro looked right at home speaking to her, almost like she never left. He spoke with a smile plastered across his face, but it wasn't until she got close enough to hear the one sided conversation that she found out why.

"…not. Stuff like that is important, but just knowing you're alright is good enough for us." Keitaro was just happy to see her. He didn't need to think of anything to say or any point he needed to make. Just seeing her and knowing she was okay was reason enough to be glad. "Look." He nodded his towards his fiancé as she made it across the street. "There she is."

Naru stiffened before turning around. The long, silky brown that made up her hair twirled with her as she spun to face the woman she once believed ruined her life, but, even with the time that passed, she was unable to meet her with a smile.

"Mitsune…"

"Naru, where…" Kitsune, too, couldn't meet her with something like a smile as a mix of feelings assaulted her all at once. She was angry, pissed in fact, that she took off without even saying goodbye, she was hurt that she didn't even think to say anything, but, more than anything else, she was happy to see her. "Where have you been!?"

"My aunt…" Her voice was quiet, far more subdued than it normally was. "She was letting me stay in her apartment for a few months until I found a job, but…" The most striking change about her was that ghostly look in her eyes. "I… never found a job. I didn't know what I should do, but she was kind enough to let me stay anyway." Naru's shoulders slumped as she spoke, the hard time she was having evident by the expression that barely changed as she spoke. "I just came to say that I was sorry for everything, but I… I didn't really expect to see you."

The last time she saw Mitsune was the worst day of her life.

The girls she thought would be her friends forever glared at her with anger that couldn't be anymore justified, her the favorite clothes, the ones she received from her mother as a gift, were ruined beyond repair, she failed a test she should have easily passed, she lost Keitaro, and, she ran away from it all.

It was laughable to think that the same girl that set her sights on the best school in Japan ended up limping away from her home and taking a ride in a taxi on credit called pity, but she thought nothing of it. She didn't think of anything except getting away.

Naru lifted her head and looked up into the expanse of blue dotted with puffs of white. It wasn't hard for her to say what she wanted to say anymore because, quite frankly, she didn't care how she sounded. She didn't have any appearances to keep up or a front to maintain. "I felt abandoned at first, but I was the one that ran away, huh?"

"Your room is still there, Naru." Keitaro spoke without turning to face her. He kept his smile as he watched the crowd across the street. "Everything is how you left-"

"I'm not going back…" The brunette followed his line of sight. "I'm not a part of that… I just came to say I'm sorry and probably see you if I was lucky. That's all."

"You're an idiot, Naru." Something that she wanted to say for as long as she could care to remember came out. "You always think you're the smartest person around, you always say stuff you don't really mean, you forget to give back the clothes you borrow, you pretend to be confident when you're really the shyest person I know, you-"

"I get it…" Two sets of brown eyes locked on each other before Naru brought a hand up and dragged it down her face. "You don't have to rub it-"

"You always interrupt people when they're talking." Kitsune couldn't help the smile that came to her face as she continued. "You do a lot of stuff. I don't know if you still do or not, but I'm not here because I want to see you apologize. I'm not here because you ran away on my watch. I'm not here to kick you while you're down… I'm your friend."

There was only so much that could be found in an apology…

Just saying sorry didn't take back things that happened. The satisfaction in an apology didn't just come from sincerity, but the fact that the offender understood the wrong and acknowledged as much. With time, Kitsune knew Naru would come to understand, but, even if that was good, it alone didn't fill in the rift made by the girl's absence.

"Coming back just to say sorry?" She stretched her arms out wide as she neared Naru for the hug they both needed. "What's the point of saying something like that without making up?"

"I thought you'd still be mad…" Tears were something Naru hated. She always detested crying because she was supposed to be strong, but the moisture that built in the corners of her eyes couldn't be denied. "I didn't want to meet you because… because I thought you wouldn't want to see me anymore."

"You idiot…" Kitsune said it affection as she abruptly closed the distance between them. "You didn't think I knew you had a temper? I…" She paused as she felt the wetness build on her shoulder, and she, too, started to cry as they tightened their hold on each other. "I started to think I wouldn't see you again…"

"I missed you…" The feelings obscured by desire were left in the loneliest taxi ride she ever took. She had long since opened her eyes and saw herself for the person she really was. "I missed everyone and…" She sobbed and Keitaro fished in his pocket for a handkerchief as the two slowly parted. "I saw the invitations, but I was so scared." The cloth was accepted, but the tears came too quickly for her to dry her eyes. "I didn't know how to act around you."

"You don't have to act around me, Naru." A quick swipe and rub with the back of her forearm cleared her vision. "I know things have been rough, but that doesn't mean we can't just start again right now."

"I don't know…" Naru bit down on her lip and hoped neither one of them noticed that she was trembling. It was hard for her to explain that she was always scared of new things without sounding stupid so she hesitated the same way she always did even though there was nothing she wanted to do more than make up with Kitsune. "Like I said, I just—W-Woah!" The bride took hold of her hand and moved without warning, half dragging the brunette that had to rush to keep from falling over. "W-Wait, Kitsune!"

Making up was one thing, but seeing everyone else, seeing the other girls, was too much!

Kitsune only looked as they crossed the street hand in hand. As friends and family welcomed them back, some appalled after a glance at the bottom of her dress, the bride only voiced a single question.

"Ha, why?"

Something she learned was that there was no reason to be away from friends and family so she made sure to bring Naru over no matter what she said.

"Because I'm not ready for this!" Naru cried as she was pulled along. It felt like her heart was going to explode as both people she only heard of and people familiar to her started to come closer. "I'm not supposed to be here…" She caught sight of Motoko in the crowd and quickly turned away. "No one will want me here…"

"That's not true at all." Keitaro voiced from behind her. "I'm glad you're here."

Did he know how important it was for her to hear him say something like that?

When it came to Kitsune, she knew she said some foul things, but that was all she really did to her. That was bad, but the things she did to Keitaro were far worse. It made her sick to think about it, but the truth was that she slapped him around and played with his heart when he gave it to her.

She was happy, extremely so, when he said he loved her, but, when she realized that she was too scared to take things to the next level, she put off his advances by taking her anger out on him the same way she always did.

"Keitaro…" She was intensely bitter about the experience and about the way things turned out, but she still loved him. "Thank you…"

"Don't go around thinking that you don't belong here or something like that." Naru stopped looking over her shoulder and instead focused on the woman that tugged her along. "Haha," Kitsune laughed out loud at the thought as they weaved their way through the crowd and towards the doors that were opened for them. "If you're not supposed to be here, then who is? I know we met some hurdles and hit a lot of bumps along the way, but…"

The bride stopped at the top of the steps and faced not only the crowd, but Naru and her future husband as well. Even though her eyes were still watery, she met them all with the smile that defined the woman that she was. Kitsune winked at Naru as the other tenants made their way through the crowd to welcome her back.

"We never stopped being best…"

Friends

Fin

Author's note: Ah, it's finally over. I tried to think of what I wanted to say when I finished, but, to sum it up, I really just want to say thank you to everyone for the support. I really mean it when I say every bit of input helped. I kind of wish I could respond to everyone, but it'd be kind of crazy having a chapter full of review responses.

To talk a little about the story, it was originally going to be about three or four chapters long with Kitsune eventually talking Naru into making up her mind to build her relationship, but, as time went on, I started to wonder about the message I was sending so, a few chapters in, I flipped the script and started getting pretty far away from my original concept. Hmm, if there was a main point to this story, I'll have to say that it's to keep what friends you have when you can and not letting situations that can be resolved end up tearing people apart.

That said, I got to move on to the next story, but, once again, thanks for reading everyone.

CF


End file.
